


Inova

by prettylittlehead22



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, BAMF Maria Hill, Blood Drinking, Blood and Gore, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Has Issues, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Dom Bucky Barnes, Don't Like Don't Read, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fantasy, Female Character of Color, Fluff and Smut, Hurt Steve Rogers, Hybrids, I've worked on this for years, Inova (OC), Inova has my heart, Maria Hill is a Good Bro, Mina (OC) - Freeform, Nick Fury is Not Amused, Not Suitable/Safe For Work, Oh My God, Oral Sex, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Power Dynamics, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Protective Steve Rogers, Slow Burn, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Thor (Marvel) is a Good Bro, Touch-Starved, Touchy-Feely, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Vampire Bites, Vampires, Werewolves, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, Working Out My Feelings Through Fic, classic Marvel nostalgia but with my own characters in the movies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:07:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 147,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22214536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prettylittlehead22/pseuds/prettylittlehead22
Summary: The universe.So difficult to understand, even with the biggest discoveries no being could ever truly know what it holds.Power, magic, mystery are all things it bares yet no being alive can see that.Maybe that's why she'd never considered her eternal death to be her enemy.Her name is Inova.This is her story.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Original Female Character(s), Steve Rogers/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 40
Kudos: 38





	1. Inova

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy I guess.

_The universe._

_So difficult to understand, even with the biggest discoveries no being could ever truly know what it holds._

_Power, magic, mystery are all things it bares yet no being alive could ever know it all, maybe that's why she'd never considered her eternal death to be her enemy._

_Her name is Inova._

_This is her story._

*-*

It had finally arrived.

The day she'd waited for since being sentenced to 30 years in the treacherous dungeons of her mother’s kingdom.

Freedom.

By now her body had crystallised into a starved hibernation, whilst her brain still kept it's full function her body lacked the passion and energy to move. Two guards emerging through the rusting doors, dressed from head to toe in Edranian armour, were all her squinting eyes could make out as the rays of light rushed harshly into the cell, attempting to overrun the shadows.

Relief foolishly flooded her mind as they carried her broken body to the royal thirst chamber.

They undressed her cautiously as to not shatter her weak frame, when the last piece fell to the ground Inova was thrown into the marble tub.

In it, gallons of thick, luscious, red.

It's empowerment ran through Inova instantaneously, she lost herself prematurely in ecstasy as she felt the weakness fade to be instead replaced with strength, the feeling coursing through me so strong that once grey flesh burned away to reveal soft skin, her dead eyes sparked up as the violet wrapped it's self through her pupil chasing away the black.

With great reluctance Inova released herself from the intoxicating hold the liquid had on her and raised to see six guards bowed in respect to their forgotten princess. Standing patiently, two young servant girls held the crimson wrap she was to be presented in, they bowed as another stood on the outside of the marble with a long cloth. Inova stepped out dripping for a short while of course she stood bare to her newfound audience.

The closest girl had wrapped the cloth around her and began to dry her bare-naked form. When dry Inova was dressed by the girls into silk robes, surprisingly her royal violet cape was secured onto her back.

Inova shuddered at the simple action of recognition.

Her long black hair which once bobbed above her shoulders had grown greatly in length now resting amongst her elbows.

"What would you like me to do to your hair my princess?" One of the girls asked, the question so oddly mundane that Inova chuckled, the sound croaky but emanating her grace all the same.

Her question was met with one in turn.

"What is your name pet?" Hesitantly she answered.

"My name is Ceria, that's Coral and she's Celia we're all sisters." As if the fact filled her with such pride, she gleamed brighter than the moon at her princess, Inova's insecurities clawed to the surface and she regarded the child coldly with her next address.

"Then Ceria, you may regard me as Inova for I am no princess... My hair requirements are nothing, I shall leave it long and straight for defiance, Any more questions?" A fearful shake of her head is given in reply.

"Good." Her sisters combed through the 3 decades worth of knots leaving Inova's hair pure as instructed. Before she knew it she was being lead to the throne room where sure enough her 'family' sat in all their glory.

"Inova!" The addressed being held back the grin she wanted to let on her face when she first saw him again.

Her brother Silus greeted her with a smile as he jumped off his throne to hug her, Inova too hugged back with shy enthusiasm holding tight to him, until the echo of a trident banging on the crystal floor ambushed their ears and they were forced to separate.

Turning almost obediently to the source of the sound Inova met the eyes of the Edranil (devil) herself.

"Silus!" Her voiced boomed into the huge space of the throne room, her tone would make any Edranian fear for their life but Inova had long since outgrown the fear she felt toward her Queen."slek ayola romre te ariknet me hej sivlak (Step away from the prisoner and be seated) we have business to discuss!"

The reference of being a 'prisoner' did nothing to sooth Inova's already uneasy nerves.

"Oh, mother dear, must we be so formal?" Inova's feigned innocence apparently wasn't the best thing for the situation, as proven in the way those deadly eyes shrunk in size as her mother glared at her.

"You will refer to me as Highness, Queen, Majesty or Royal Blood nothing else!" Inova closed her eyes inhaled then exhaled deeply before her next response.

"Of course, my Queen."

Her 'Queen' scoffed. "After all these years you still lack the compliance of a princess, defiance is not accepted among the people!"

"Oh, spare me from your royal duties lecture mother! Not accepted amongst the people or not accepted by you!? The people had nothing to do with my imprisonment that was all your doing and you know it!" Inova rose from the bow confronting her so called mother.

"You are a wench, an unlovable monster whose nature is not fit for the title of a royal nor the title of an Edranian!" Inova's laugh was menacing, her face contorted in a familiar way, Silus tried to subtly shake his head at his sister knowing she was a second away from losing her control. "That is why it has been decided. As by order of the increvit (court) it has been told you are not noble enough for the role of Edranian princess and therefore shall be exiled from Edrania immediately!" Her mother’s decree bounced off the walls and between Inova's ears.

As if summoned from the fiery pits of hell a rage consumed Inova, she watched her mother’s effortless gesture to call the guards into the room.

The heavily armoured vamps swarmed in at all directions, Inova tried to back away from their grasps. "Mother No! you can't your ca-" Silus tried to defend his sister, raising from his seat but mother had cut him off.

"Surnia! (Silence) By the royal decree of your Queen it has been decided, there is no going back!" All at once Inova was gathered in chains, trying to resist miserably as they were bonded to her wrists with magic, bewitched to burn the more she struggled against them.

"I will return mother, destroy everything you've created here, no matter how long, I vow it! The next time I am blessed with your presence I won't hesitate to rip you to shreds!" The vamp’s screeches of anguish carried through the palace, dark curses along with just about every dark thought her mind were thrown verbally at her bitch of a mother.

The last thing Inova saw was her brother desperately trying to reach her while their father held him back, seemingly controlled by the evil Queen who sat smirking devilishly from her throne.

"I love you Silus, I promise will come back for you, don't forget that!" Then the giant throne doors shut cutting off her view of him, she felt her body go limp. No longer would Inova show her emotion to that wretched xylamane (grotesque creature) it would only satisfy her.

In her last moments of being on her home planet Inova took time to recall all her favourite memories.

They were few, her time since she'd been no older than a child had been wasted killing and training to get into her mother’s favour. The wolves who they'd conquered the planet from had reigned down curses upon her name for decades meaning Inova's life had been one endless fight.

Her favourite memory was one she recalled whenever she felt down, there was a wolf boy in her youth who she'd so happen to meet in the stables of her mother’s palace. He was training to be in the wolf guard, Inova had admired him from afar.

Inova was a teen with a crush, one which her mother had exploited in order to get her way just as she always had.

Her mother had found the two one night and ordered the boy be imprisoned; he was fed to his own kind the very next day.

"You are a monster Inova, love is something you will never know."

Inova knew her mother wasn't wrong; she had accepted this a long time ago.

Just like all those who were to be exiled Inova was stripped of all Edranian benefits, clothing and any other luxury. Once she was once again in the state of which she was born they put her into a transportation comet and beamed her down to a barren planet to die.

Unknowing to both the Queen and Inova someone had altered the calculations, redirecting the comets course to a planet which sustained life.

Earth.

That's how her story started, how she got to earth.

All throughout the years of earths evolution Inova remained a secret, a myth to beings called humans who possessed the substance for living which she needed.

Blood.

Along the century’s names would be given to Inova such as werewolf or vampire creature of the night. To some Inova was just a story used to scare their children into submission, stories which were passed down for generations eventually exaggerated what vampires were. Inova preferred it that way less attention was drawn to herself, although at times the abandonment was enough to drive her crazy.

Peace was restored again, only to be broken all to soon as September 1st, 1939 World War 2 began. Swept again into darkness Inova became the wolf and fed on the dead. Self-loathing and pity fuelled her actions, it was during one of her routine hunts close off the German border to the Czech region that that she'd happened to be shot at.

Both her hind legs became entangled in a thick rope and the wolf staggered face first down a little cliff, not stopping until she reached the bottom.

The hybrid whined high in her throat as she struggled to get loose from the binds, in the distance she hears the telling sounds of men, smells the metallic scent of their guns. Panic takes over as she continues to try to release herself. Listening out for movement she hears their guns reload, shouts in German bound off the wind. If Inova doesn't get out of the bonds soon they'll take her- those fucking Nazi's -they'll probably experiment on her and incorporate her existence into their screwed-up ideology.

Unexpectedly, a man appears by her side, his hair is a mass of grey wild strands with a pair of circle spectacles on the edge of his nose.

To warn him off Inova snarls, the sound low and threatening but the man remains calm, staring into her eyes, his own remarkably kind. Next thing Inova knew he was moving his hand upwards revealing a knife. With a last thrash Inova halt all her movements, he grasps her leg gently patting the fur. Inova finds herself suddenly recognising this man's intentions; so, allows him to bring the knife down upon the rope with haste.

Inova's free, the man had freed her.

The wolf rose to her full height automatically towering over the man. He turns away from her to begin walking away through the snow. "Quickly, this way." The German accent does not escape her, she attempts to snarl again but this man shushes her, Inova leans her head back in shock at his bravery. "Either follow me or die with them." Wonder course's through her as the man continues his journey onwards.

Expecting her to just follow along blindly.

'He's lucky I don't see him as a threat' comes the thought as the man guides her to a clearing of trees, thick oaks blanketing the area from sight.

"Papa?" Came a young boys voice from behind a great tree. "Did you save it?" The father beams at his son, nodding briskly.

"It is female, and yes I did save her. Come on Kristoff we must get back to your mother and sister and the Americans at the docks. They've agreed to help us escape Germany." He pushes his son gently onwards but Inova can only think he can't be serious; they'll die before they even reach the outskirts. Unnaturally Inova feels a smudge of protection towards these humans and follows them.

The boy notices and beckons her away with shooing hands. "Go now, your free." Inova doesn't listen; obviously.

Bounding along after them through the snow, she took a different route through the trees pretending she left them alone. They're still walking through the snow at a too slow speed when she spots a group of soldiers also trailing them.

Guns aimed.

Inova couldn't have that, now could she? The wolfs massive frame pounced on the soldiers with ease, clawing at their body's with claws sharp enough to cut steel, they didn't stand a chance. No matter how many gunshots they managed to fire. The final body fell coincidentally right before the man who had saved her and his son.

Both stood open mouthed gawking at the large wolf. With a brisk shake of her fur Inova inclined her head in a gesture that she hoped conveyed the message of 'you're welcome'. The kind man issued his son along again but Inova stopped him from getting too far and invited both on her back. Tipping her head down to the both whilst she lowered to a sit.

The young boy clutched his father's coat. "She's trying to help us papa." That's all it takes apparently, soon under the father's instruction Inova is dashing through the snow towards their desired destination.

When they reached the docks, Inova was forced to slow down and duck behind a tall stack of crates. It seemed the German soldiers had attacked the Americans; the Americans weren't winning anytime soon.

Inova made a quick decision- needing the Americans to trust her in more than just wolf form she let the humans get off her back gently. Giving them a look, she hoped said stay here, Inova ran towards the sea with barely held back vigour. Once submerged in the waters cover, she let the change take over, her kicking fur hind legs forming into flesh ones. Inova broke through the water’s surface back in her original form, swimming close underneath the dock she scampers up the wooden leg once she's close enough, pulling herself up.

The hybrid certainly makes use of her new appendages, as she tunes into her senses once more breathing in the gun powdered air, she overhears a conversation close to the action.

"Goddammit Carter!" A middle-aged sounding voice bellowed. "Where is this German bastard we're fighting for anyway?" This Carter huffs, shooting her gun at the Nazi soldier who stupidly ran straight at her.

As his body falls, she regards her colleague over her shoulder. "German scientist Mr Maddock, he'll be right along I assure you." The man doesn't seem convinced. "Need I remind you what a value he's going to be to the allies, this man could very well win us the war. I believe this guarantees him your respect." Her assertive British attitude left no room for argument and Inova found herself respecting the woman.

A split second later Inova had joined the fight, saving this 'Mr Maddock' from a bullet to the head. He barely had time to question her newfound appearance before the Germans increased their fire power.

Inova found her voice amongst the fray, "Clear me a path, I'll take out their machine guns and give you the opening, take it and you can push them back into a retreat!" Maddock nods hurriedly at her but Inova scoffs at the man running past Carter, the hybrid gestures towards her with a pointed nod. "I was talking to her." Carter smirks back at Inova before carrying out her orders.

*-*

It doesn't take long for Inova plan to succeed and when it does Inova finds herself in an inevitable confrontation between this Miss Carter and her associate.

The man, 'Maddock' is noticeably bristled, sweat drips down the sides of his red face unattractively. With enhanced sight Inova watches the droplet catch against his uniform collar and seep into the fabric. "Who are you?" Inova doesn't respond, frankly she was still figuring out what lie to tell him. "Miss, are you deaf I said who are you?" He repeats, louder this time punctuating his point by grasping Inova's shoulder. Her eyes darken, it's thanks to Miss Carter elbowing him in the ribs that he kept his hand that day.

"Now, now whoever she is I'm sure her actions here today mean she is surely one of our allies." Her gaze falls to Inova as she regards the new woman. "British intelligence, like myself judging from your earlier instructions, which both I and my colleague are most grateful for by the way." Inova shrugs, maintaining a quiet façade for the moment, people are always much more inclined to speak for you when you remain quiet. "Right then, who are you is indeed the question." Inova opens her mouth to speak but the moment she does a familiar presence speaks up from behind her.

"She is with me," The German man Inova had aided is back, his son hanging back with an elder woman just behind him. "she's my employed protector." Both Carter and Inova raise a brow simultaneously.

The red lipped woman inquires further. "On whose orders?" Inova too looks to the German for answers, considering she has no response planned herself.

"My own. She too was taken prisoner by the Nazi's and soon became a loyal friend." Carter appears surprised giving Inova a once over, she pretends to be sheepish at the Germans praise, but the truth is she just hopes they'll fall for it.

"You too are a scientist?" Comes the clever question from the clever woman.

Inova's lie is swift. "Yes, uh I was taken for my extensive knowledge of the human body but in particular the blood." The only other female nods seemingly clicking pieces of her fake narrative together with the man’s own.

"You weren't there when we liberated the prison Erskine was being held in." The hybrid tilts her head slightly, so this was the man’s name.

"Well they'd taken me earlier out to the woods mid-day to be killed, I'd disobeyed their wishes as a female and refused to submit." This was how Inova would convince her, appeal to her morals by playing up the woman oppression skit; if she would just fall for the bait.

Carter stares at us for a while, no one making the slightest movement until she said otherwise, when satisfied the woman hummed.

Gotcha.

"Well then," She pushed out her hand. "A friend of Erskine’s is a friend of ours. Pleasure to meet you Miss-" Inova grabs her hand and recites her newly made human name.

"Violet, Nova Violet." Carter nods a little giggle falling from her lips.

"I should have guessed what with those eyes." Inova had almost forgot about her birth defect. Violet shimmering orbs stared back at the woman with a warm look. "Carter, Margaret Carter. Please feel free to call me Peggy." They drop hands and the woman goes back to giving orders, now in the clear Inova turns to this Erskine man and narrows her eyes.

He gives her a small smile and bids Inova to follow him on the boats.

When they're alone on the deck, with the sounds of soldier’s song wafting upwards through the nights cold air, Inova chooses to confront him.

"You lied for me...without knowing who I am or why I chose to help. Why?" Erskine, with eyes so kind, spared Inova a pointed glance from his position beside her, then went back to admiring the waters clear surface below.

"The same reason you saved me and my son, I think." He pats her gently on the hand. "It was the right thing to do." This is interesting to say the least, this scientist seems to have figured Inova out. Usually she would have ran by now at first suspicions but there was something about this Erskine which told her to stay.

"The men... they were chasing a wolf." Inova says carefully, not confronting the elephant in the room but highlighting it quite a bit.

"Did they catch her?" He feigns innocence too and for the first time in a long time, Inova finds herself smiling.

"I think we both know the answer to that."


	2. There's No Fun In Brooklyn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Traipsing after Erskine looking for the next super solider is hard, luckily Steve Rogers seems to be exactly what the scientist is searching for.
> 
> Let's see if Inova can keep her desires in check long enough to see the spark in Steve too.

That's how Inova ended up in the quaint little borough of Brooklyn traipsing around after Erskine as his so called 'protector', whilst the army gathered up a regiment of men to be his test subjects.

You see it turns out Abraham Erskine had in his possession knowledge of a formula that could supposedly transform ordinary men into super soldiers.

Just.

Like.

That.

The year is 1943, the location is dark and dismal.

Inova... is losing her mind.

The bloodlust burns achingly bright on this night and instead of resting (shutting herself inside a lovely cellar) the hybrid was being forced to attend none other than Howard Starks exciting new Expo.

Yes her, the centuries old 5 foot 8 inched vampire, with the almond coloured skin and the purple eyes is being forced to attend this event but not as a guest- because that would be like relaxing and Erskine never relaxes- but as a 'scientist' offering her services on behalf of the government at the recruitment building.

The woman currently sat on an uncomfortable chair opposite the man who she protected. Inova was slouching just enough that her purple waterfall pencil skirt shifts upwards every so often, revealing more and more leg. Her white blouse wrinkles the further she plunges down into the chair annoying her slightly but not enough for her to stop the action.

In the quiet of the room Inova sighs, soft at first but as the seconds pasts she does it again, louder this time more obnoxious.

Erskine stops his work to glance up at her, he doesn't do much but his eyes land on the exposed skin of her knee. He shakes his head with a fond roll of his eyes. "Your efforts to distract me are futile." Inova leans forward interested in his comment, accepting his challenge willingly, one could say too willing.

"Oh really." Inova purrs but the man merely grins, the tilt of his lip barely there to the untrained eye.

"I have seen you decapitate a bear with no more than your fingers, believe me when I say. They are futile." Inova drops dramatically backward onto the chair once more, an exaggerated sigh leaving her, Erskine goes back to his work. "You're sulking." He concludes and Inova must resist the urge to roll her own eyes.

"I do not sulk." Inova mumbles, her bottom lip jutting out as she crossed her arms at his analysis.

Erskine- ever the friend- nods unconvinced. "Why don't you go and hassle some of the freshmen, you usually love doing that." This time Inova does roll her eyes.

"Yes, usually but a girl does eventually tire of the endless gawking." Erskine gives her all his attention now as he informs her, she is in fact 'a beautiful woman'. 

"Oh Abe, you flatter me." The next sigh she releases is curt but full of wistful longing. "Sometimes, I wish for someone to see past that. Like you do." He would have replied she was sure, but a fellow doctor calls for him about some bloodwork and Inova knows the conversation had reached its end.

As they get to their feet Inova wobbles only slightly on her spectator pumps, still not used to the high heels on her feet. The vampire catches herself just as Erskine comes to stand beside her.

"I just need to review a few of these applications for the tests and then we can do something a little more...your style. Why don't you go look around, we're at a fair after all, I'm sure you'll find something to hold your attention." Inova doesn't miss his implications to her darker nature but chooses to give him her perfected grin. The façade of the perfect dame was in full effect as she strolled out of the office to find the something Erskine referred to.

*-*

Interesting turned out to be watching Howard backstage before his big unveiling, he's flirting with this brunette flapper in a fancy little suit leotard. Inova doesn't want to interrupt because watching is humorous enough, especially when the dame he's targeted believes every little word he croons into her ear. After about a minute of the display Inova clears her throat, his boisterous brown eyes meet her own violet ones and it takes him a second to recognise her but when he does, he excuses himself and struts towards her arms wide open.

"There she is!" Inova barely gets out a hello before being squashed in his arms. "My sweet violet, my darling lavender, my-"

"Jesus Howard," Inova interrupts him glancing round to see if his antics has gained unwanted attention. They haven't, thankfully. "you're squeezing me half to death." He lets up eventually pulling back to flash her his million-dollar Stark smirk.

"Changed your mind about our friendship?" Howards eyebrows wiggle suggestively but Inova puts a stop to such thinking when she nudges him in the ribs. With an 'oof' he staggers back leaving her to grin at his obvious pain.

"Keep on dreaming Stark." The man drops the teasing act for now, informing Inova he has a gift to bestow her with. He goes over to a nearby table and picks up this little packet, Inova smiles immediately when she recognises the packaging. "Howard you shouldn't have, these are being heavily rationed. I'll feel like a monster if I eat them all to myself." Howard waved her off, smiling widely with all those white teeth as he gestured to the chocolate covered digestives he'd gifted her with.

The genius smirks, "Don't you even worry about it flower, you deserve it, what with everything you've done for me." He's referring to how they met a year ago, Inova saved his behind during an experiment of his gone wrong.

Let's just say, he'll remember to fire away from his face next time.

Through the curtain leading to the stage bearing Starks latest car experiment, a snazzy jazz song picked up. Howard took this as his cue and smacked a ridiculous kiss on the vampire's cheek, just as the female dancers filed out to the stage.

"Would love to catch up more flower, but the stage awaits!" Great, he'd put up his mask of bravado as Inova waved goodbye. The thought of sticking around any longer was gone the moment she saw him smack his lips with the dancer from earlier in front of the cheering crowd. Inova decided now would be as good a time as any to get back to the recruitment centre surely Erskine should be done by now.

*-*

Inova opened the packet of biscuits, nibbling on the edge of one to distract herself from the lingering stares she's getting as she walks through the building trying to find Abe- who was not in his office. It works, for a split second until the biscuit is devoured. Then she can't help but notice, Brooklyn's white humans all staring.

Inova refrains from acting violently on her annoyance as she's turning yet another beige corner, knowing Abe would have a negative reaction if he finds out she'd done anything bad to innocents. Coming across the corner Inova found herself being intercepted by a boy, her biscuits are dropped but she manages to grab hold of the packet of bonbons that drop from his hands.

The vampire peers down as the boy bends down to pick up her dropped treat. "Oh gosh, I'm so sorry!" His voice is deep, far deeper than that of any boy she'd ever met.

A man then.

The man stands to his full height again and peeped up to face the woman he'd collided with grey eyes met his own blue ones and the blonde had to stop himself from dropping his jaw. He'd just so happened to bump into one of the prettiest women he'd ever seen, because when was his luck ever fortunate.

Inova was nothing but charmed with this man, he was shorter than her not by a lot but noticeably, enough for a rush to overcome her. He was pretty, blonde wisps of hair falling gently over his forehead whilst those wide eyes gawked at her.

The vampire narrowed her eyes, "Problem?" the man shook his head immediately, frightened he'd offended the British lady.

"N-no I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare." The woman giggles at the start of his rambling.

"No harm done darling, I'm after all equally at fault, wasn't looking where I was going." Inova smirks satisfactorily at the bashful smile on his face and the slight blush on his cheeks, she feels oddly smitten with this man. Her attention turns to trading their respected treats back with one another.

Steve's heart skips a beat in his chest, and for once it's not because of his condition. He'd never been called 'darling' by a young dame before, elder women sure but never dames, especially one as eye catching as the one standing before him.

Her smirk is easy, as she regards him like he's captured the entirety of her attention. Steve could hear Bucky's taunting in his ear now, 'come on pal, you're choking up say something' , He opens his mouth to do just that but the woman's actions make him clam up again, Inova reached her hand into the bag of sweets and took one for herself. She popped it into her mouth without breaking eye contact and grinned when Steve released a nervous breath.

"Catch you around, darling." Steve waved in shock as she strutted away down the path he'd just walked.

Buck wasn't going to believe any of this.

*-*

After her little run in with the little guy, Inova makes out the wisps of grey hair and the brown plain suit which belonged to her German scientist.

"Abe!" The man's head whips around at her call, his eyes soften the tad at the sight of her. Inova catches up and gives him a smile. "There you are, done with the recruitment yet?" The stares are from other humans are still getting to Inova, crawling under her skin.

"Almost, how's Howard?" Inova scoffs dryly pairing this with a roll of the eyes.

"Howards... Howard." The simple comment is supplied with a shrug because let's face it, it might just be the truest thing anyone's ever said about him, Erskine nods his acknowledgement not saying anymore on the subject.

It only takes another moment before Inova lets out an unmistakable growl. "They obviously dont get much 'exotic' folk in Brooklyn." The vampire waves exuberantly back at a gawking white couple who pretend they weren't staring; Erskine chastises her like a father.

"Do not antagonize them." Is his hushed order.

Inova crosses her arms in the classic stroppy child style. "Right, yes. Wouldn't want to make them feel uncomfortable." She mumbles under her breath only to realise Erskine's not even listening to her and they've come to a sudden halt. "What are you staring at anyway?" Inova follows the mad scientist’s line of vision and takes in the scene before them.

There are two men speaking to each other quite heatedly, the first facing toward the two wears the assigned uniform of a soldier, his posture rigid as he argues with a blonde man in quick angry bursts. The blonde turned away from Abe and Inova is much smaller, his clothes practically devour his petite frame making him appear frail, she recognises him as the man from earlier.

Inova didn't even have to amplify her hearing to eavesdrop on the men, they were speaking that loud.

The blonde shakes his head. "I'm not gonna sit in a factory, Bucky. Bucky come on, there are men laying down their lives...I got no right to do any less than them." Inova raises her eyebrows as this man carries on. "That's what you don't understand. This isn't about me."

This 'Bucky' bites his lips nodding his head at his friend, something unconvinced in his tone. "Right cause you got nothing to prove." A broad in the background shouts something that catches both their attention, the brunette responds back briskly. Inova tunes them out momentarily to watch how Erskine inspects them, that little spark of interest is burning in his eyes. At first Inova narrows her own eyes at the look she knew all too well, then like an epiphany it hits her.

"This cannot possibly be-" Abe doesn't allow her to get another word in shushing her with a gesture, they watch in silence as the two embrace each other. When they separate the soldier departs with a salute to re-join the eager dames. The blonde turns at his friend’s departure apparently heading towards the recruitment section, he passes the two and they pretend to be overly interested in the wall. When he's gone Inova gives Abe the best glare she can muster but of course it goes unnoticed by the scientist.

He's found the one he wants and Inova knows he cannot be persuaded otherwise...well at least not yet.

*-*

Next to the room in which the young man is giving what he doesn't know will be his last enlistment examination, Inova is impatiently flicking through his file. Doubt settling annoyingly into the pit of her stomach the more she reads about this, Steven Grant Rogers.

"Dear Edrania," Inova curses as she reads over it. "asthma, scarlet fever, heart trouble, easy fatigability-" She snaps the file shut and throws it on the desk. "Need I continue, or have you heard enough?" The English from her mouth sounds terribly cryptic, Erskine raises a grey brow at her but she doesn't stop. "Oh, and he's hellbent, if his several forgeries are anything to go by."

"Your point?" He urges his vampire friend who's planted her hands on her hips sassily.

Inova frowns. "Quite frankly darling, you'll be better off giving your magic potion to a mouse." Abe shakes his head at Inova gathering the file up from where she'd slammed it as well as other routine papers.

"It is not about his body. It is about his will." Inova wedges herself between the door and Erskine before he can leave, a little more than annoyed now.

"His will to what, die?" Her entire body is taught, but her face goes noticeably softer when she whispers. "Let us not forget Abe, that if the war isn't the thing that kills him, your serum very well could be." The vampire lets her friend think that over.

He's deep in thought for a few seconds deciding what to say and when he finally speaks it is with a simple 'he is the little guy we need' then he moves past Inova and towards the curtain Steven waited behind led by a guard.

*-*

Erskine and Steven have been behind the curtain for a while and soon eating biscuits and flirting with every man who walks by isn't going to be enough to placate Inova's rising anxiety. If Erskine goes through with enlisting Steven-which she has no doubt he'll do- it was only gonna be downhill from here. 

Soon though, the curtain opens abruptly making the woman quit her leaning forward on the desk."-only a chance." Erskine glances shortly at Inova, taking note of her position behind the desk. He approaches it placing Steve's file atop its wooden frame, Steve comes bustling out of the small room straight after him.

"I'll take it." Inova tries very hard not to jump out of her seat and deny everything that's going on in front of her very eyes, she swept aside a stray curl behind her ear and carried on watching both men who seemed quite intent on ignoring her.

"Good." Erskine nods, trying to find the approval stamp on the desk amongst the others. "So, where is the little guy from, actually?" He questions and Inova rolls her eyes locating the stamp immediately to place it into the man's awaiting hands, he doesn't notice until she clears her throat. Then both eyes settle onto her and after she smirks at Abe then shifts eye contact, so she meets Stevens. He lowers his gaze having been caught staring and Inova's smirk doesn't leave her face.

Steven clears his throat. "Uh, Brooklyn." On that Erskine stamps his file and gives the little guy a congratulations, soldier. Steven takes the file from him and opens it up to the page and Erskine shifts his focus back onto the impatient hybrid.

"I see you've eaten most of those things." He gestures to the half-eaten packet on the desk.

Inova takes this as a challenge. "I'm hungry." She licks her lips to emphasise before standing up to her full height. She thinks nothing of it, being taller than Steve enough that, she must consider him with her head tilted down the slightest bit. The newly confirmed soldiers skin flushes the teeniest bit as Inova regards him with those intense violet eyes, a colour Steve is unable to see.

Steve finds himself trapped for the second time that day in such a way he's never felt before, so to say he's shocked when the woman's hand shoots out toward him would be an understatement.

He still wasn't used to being regarded by a woman.

"Nova, Nova Violet. Nice to bump into you again, Mr Rogers." He accepts her hand shaking back hesitantly.

"Same to you, ma'am." Inova's grins wide all teeth, her eyes crinkling slightly in the corners finally letting go of his hand. At the loss of contact Steve hides his surprise at a woman being so carefree around him, with a small smile of his own.

"Violet please, ma'am is much too formal." Steve nods still very much stunned, Inova wants to say more but Erskine cuts her trail of thought off.

"You ready to go?"

"Of course, there's no fun in Brooklyn anyway." She gives Steve one last lingering look, then salutes him. "See you later, soldier." With that her and the older man take off, leaving behind a very much changed Steve Rogers who beams at his approved file.

*-*

About a week later they were on the grounds of an American base.

Location not to be disclosed of course, the sun is beating down on the dry terrain whilst Inova sits in a travelling war jeep with Erskine beside her in the back and Colonel Phillips in front with a soldier driving.

For the hundredth time Inova huffs, fiddling with the collar of the uniform they're making her wear. The murky green of the blazer matched the pencil skirt, along with a white blouse and black court heels sure, but its cotton material felt stuffy, itchy and it's starting to slowly drive her insane.

 _'Regulation.'_ Erskine had called it, so who was she to argue?

It was momentarily silent as they drove to the new recruits, Inova knew by this time of the morning they'd probably be waiting in line getting their first impression of Agent Carter. The thought encouraged a devilish smile on her pinkish lips.

Giving up with the choking collar of the blouse she leans back as much as she can and turns to Erskine. The vampire speaks lowly in German with her companion, knowing the Americans in front didn't speak a lick of the language. "What do you think the Colonel is going to say when he sees the runt in his litter?" Abe's decision not to entertain her just gives the woman more reason to smile, she laughs off the tension. "I'm looking forward to it."

The jeep pulls up at the perfect time, Agent Carter has punched a man in the face. Some of the other guys wince at the contact, Inova's grin widens to an all new length.

"Agent Carter!" The Colonel intervenes with his booming call, the soldiers standing just that much straighter as both the vampire and Erskine get out of the car as well. "I see your breaking in the candidates, that's good." Inova stands at attention beside Erskine after sharing a smug look with Peggy.

The scene from here begins to unfold, the Colonel orders the man to get his 'ass' up out of the dirt until somebody tells him what to do.

The blundering soldier does as ask, stands to attention. "Yes sir!" Then he salutes, Erskine must nudge Inova in the ribs to stop her sigh from catching anyone else's attention. However, the Colonel seems undeterred, carrying on his display of authority.

"General Patton, has said wars are fought with weapons but they are won by men..."He let that sink in as he marched along the line. "We are going to win this war because we have the best men." It is as if the Colonel speaks to soon, his being falters slightly as he takes in little Steve. Although no one else has seemed to notice from the aspect of the hybrid, the pointed glare he gives to Erskine is worth all the trouble. The Colonel continues noticeably rattled, "And because they are gonna get better, much better. The strategic scientific reserve..." Blah, blah, blah, blah, Inova stops listening to the patriotic shit, he's yapping on and on about them becoming the greatest army the world will ever know.

It brings back memories of wars she's fought in before, of all the wars she'd regretted, all the suffering she endured in the hybrid wars, the worst wars. It was a wonder to her how humans continuously made the same mistake, how they just never learnt.

"Miss Violet!" Inova startles at the call of her name, the Colonel has called her. "Introduce yourself." He orders knowing he now holds her attention.

Inova does the human salute, a little too relaxed to have any real intensity. "Nova Violet, but I prefer Violet-" Phillips cuts her off.

"You may address both Agent Carter and Agent Violet as your superiors. They'll be in charge for a large sum of your daily routines and monitoring a fair amount of your others. Got a problem with that, take it up with the president." Inova's eyes widen in surprise at the announcement, putting her hand up to correct the Colonel proves futile as he walks back to the jeep gets in and drives off. As she watches him leave, she lowers her hand slowly from the mockery of a salute she'd given. At around the same moment she spots Erskine looking rather sheepish.

The vampire spins on him as quick as lightning, "You." she points her finger accusingly at him.

"Me?" He innocently replies but the violet eyed woman's not falling for it.

"Yes you, what did you do?" Erskine shrugs, fucking shrugs and if that doesn't set her off his next sentence sure does.

"I may have volunteered you to train the recruits." Her eyes narrow in that predator fashion, the look that's practically killed men.

"Pray tell why you'd do such a thing." Erskine shrugs, again.

"Thought you could do with telling a few men what to do, get you off my back for once." He mumbles whilst walking away himself.

"I heard that!" He waves her off and Inova turns back to the recruits with a not so happy face, she puts her hands on her waist and dips a hip dramatically. "So, Miss Carter-" That killer smirk highlights her features, her pink lips curl in the most natural fashion. "Where do we begin."

*-*

The next couple days were gruelling, not for Inova of course.

The soldiers however, well.

There was one who stood out from the rest in a negative way. Steve going through drills was painful to watch, every time he so much as made a move it made Inova flinch just a tad. His ability severely slackens under the weight of his conditions although, he does try his best. These are the moments the hybrid believes she sees the light Erskine so often refers to, the determination behind his actions that just tell him, do not stop never stop.

It's admirable truly it is.

But she can't sleep, most nights she spends her time awake laying on her cot. Listening to the steady breaths beside her coming from Abe, she tunes her hearing into the beating heart within his body, smells the blood it cleans, almost tastes it. These nights seem fucking endless and leave her grumpy as fuck in the morning.

Normally it's manageable but this morning it's bad. Her skin feels like it's vibrating, the amount of times she's thought of just stripping her army jumpsuit is growing to an alarming rate. Everything that moves annoys her, every time someone breaths, talks, fucking exists makes her want to sink her teeth into their necks, rip out their jugulars and-

Her ears signal her to the event happening on the training equipment. One of the soldiers purposely kicks the leg off a barbed wire rack the men are crawling under, more importantly he does it onto Steve. "Rogers! Get that rifle out of the mud!" A fellow corporal rages and all the strings she's been holding herself down with just...snap.

Inova's up on her feet in seconds. Marching to the scene with a single line of focus. Steve's still stuck underneath while the corporal tries and fails to straighten out the beam. "Allow me." Inova interrupts, grasping the wooden leg with ease to straighten it out. Then she barks for the soldiers to finish up and get into formation.

When they do her focus narrows onto the sabotage. "Do you know what we call soldiers who don't support other soldiers in their squadron." Inova refers to him unafraid, the soldier responds with a tight lipped 'no ma'am' and Inova is positively bristled. "Traitors, they're called traitors. Are you a traitor Hodge?"

"No, ma'am."

"If this was the battlefield, the real battlefield. Your act of sabotage could have resulted in the deaths of you and your men." She squared him off with an intensity that drove everyone else into fearful silence. "Do it again, and I can guarantee you more than just a scolding. Understood." He nods and the grounds are enveloped in this long-outstretched silence. It's too hot, suddenly. Too humid, she needs release, she needs it now.

Now.

Now.

NOW.

"Laps!" Inova shouts out of nowhere. "We should move on to laps next, I think. Yes, get into lap formation." The yelling corporal from earlier offers to lead. "I'll assist." With no further words she sets off down the trail, not at a slow pace either, she's charging ahead, blowing off steam. Trying to not let the hunger get out of control. It's a losing battle.

*-*

All she needed was a little, why couldn't he just give her permission? Was it so hard?

"I dont understand why you need it." Inova, from her position opposite the man's bunk in a kneel, groans. Her palms dig into her eyes harshly, tired of the same seemingly endless argument.

When she speaks it's sharp, sharp enough to aggravate Erskine's impatient ears. "If you say yes. It'll lessen the weight on my conscience."

"I doubt this."

"Erskine," She pleads. "I'm starving, no not starving, I'm ravenous."

Her body was burning, painfully aware of the lack of fresh blood being consumed. She hadn't had an official 'meal' since before the night of the stark expo and that was ages ago. Erskine immersed in his work remained unsympathetic to the woman.

"Honestly, if you're so worked up about this why don't you go for a run, let your inner wolf free or something like that." Inova rolled her eyes heavily, throwing a scowl in his direction.

"Risk getting spotted what a great idea, why don't I just walk around and speak to people with my fangs hanging out as well?" Then she gets up to start pacing around the little cabin.

In response to her ramblings Erskine huffs distractedly, rubbing his eyes below the glasses frame. "There is a little creek not too far south from here but far out enough that you won’t be spotted, you can go unwind there for a while. No one should see you; the men are on strict curfews and are probably really tired after what you put them through today." He ruffles his papers and slides his glasses further up the bridge of his nose before making eye contact with the hybrid. "Have fun." Inova doesn't hang around much after that, following her instincts south until she reaches the creek. When she's made it, the glittering shimmer the moon provides onto the lake is relaxing enough that she's immediately calmed.

It's easy to assume the change after being greeted with a sight like that, and honestly Inova thinks, _'what's the worst that could happen?'_.

*-*

A beam of light hit her closed eyelid startling the hybrid awake, upon opening her eyes the ability to put things into focus is momentarily lost. She struggles to get a grip on the input she's getting.

Soft ground, open air, bird’s song. The input on her senses dulls as she wakes further and sees all she's just deduced. Except she's granted with more than just that, not only is she outside but she's naked and covered in a thin layer of blood.

Chancing a whiff at the scarlet liquid the vamp clocks it is animal blood and gives a small gratified sigh. Only now there's one problem, how is she going to get back to camp without drawing any attention. Standing up from the crouch she scanned her surroundings, no sign of her clothes but the advantage point gave her the view of a creek below the small cliff face she was on. It's probably the one Erskine suggested, so she's not that far from the army base. The small plan to get clean in the creek then sneak back to base is the most fitting, surveying the water below further she estimates the depth of the water, it seems deep enough to jump from where she is now.

After the point she wastes no time in diving in, resurfacing moments later to the brief sound of startled birds leaving their trees. The simplicity of the sound is pleasant enough to her ears, for a few seconds she wades lazily threw the water until she's sure the blood has been wiped clean. Whilst examining the flesh on her right arm the sudden sensation of being watched prickled the back of her neck. Inova gracefully turns in the water toward the patchy grass on shore, sure enough she meets the sheepish eyes belonging to none other than Steve Rogers.

Inova stops wading and those sheepish eyes go wide with panic. The hybrid finds his obvious skittish nature slightly amusing and chooses to continue analysing his reaction. He was halfway through with his mission to flee if his closed notebook and one booted foot is any indication.

Inova notes the way his breathing has slowed, eyes never wavering from her own as their staring contest continues, his pale skin has flushed that adorable pinkish colour. Lighter than a rose yet note quite as fair as a usual blush, 'his blood must run so hot' she thinks, and the thought alone is enough to conjure memories of bitten necks and gushing red.

 _'Why haven't you run away?'_ She watches him watch her, knowing his body was riddled with anxiety and came to the only conclusion _. 'Oh, he's a stubborn one.'_

The first movement is made, on Inova's behalf of course. She starts to swim towards the shore, towards Steve, never drawing her eyes away. Just to grasp a concept of who this man was, why Erskine found him to be so special. When the water is shallow enough to walk on, Inova wastes no time as she emerges. Steve's blush intensifies she notes, as she continues, her walk is sure and unhurried. Being viewed bare to other's naked eye has never been one of her concerns, so she continues to the shore. As sure of herself as ever, she doesn't stop her stride until she's standing right opposite the man.

She purrs out the next words, "Avert your eyes soldier." on command Steve's eyes immediately flick upwards towards the tree line. The sight would be endearing if Inova wasn't highly aware of the pulse he hides beneath the skin on his neck. Inova wants to taste him.

In between her subconscious debate, she'd unconsciously taken several steps towards the man. Who she noticed hadn't dared shift a muscle from where he'd last been. It was very foolish of the man to do so, Inova knew she shouldn't give into his bravery but this wave of want hits her from a place long forgotten about.

It was this realisation that forced the vampire back to reality, with a completely changed demeaner she marched straight past the stunned male with the intention of going back to base. "Make sure you're alert for drills this morning Mr Rogers. I'm sure Colonel Phillips would not be happy if he suspects you're disobeying the curfew. Don't worry I won't tell." The man doesn't reply but his exhale is enough to tell Inova he's grateful.

Inova doesn't stick around much after that.

*-*

Upon arriving on the army barracks once again, Inova determines the best route to avoid being seen before flashing straight to her and Erskine's shared cabin. There she was able to fully relax and take in the events of what had just occurred, Steve had stood his ground in a way no man had been able to do since... well a while.

The sound of a half-asleep Erskine entering the cabin startled Inova from her wandering thoughts. The man had barely gotten through the door before his hands flew up to his eyes, he let out a brilliant curse word in German shortly after.

"You know," The mad scientist begins. "clothes are more than just a formality for us humans." Following his unsure gesture towards her body she realises being naked might just be a tad inappropriate. On a sigh Inova reminds Erskine her lack of clothing would be more than expected on my planet, the scientist grumbles something unintelligible about aliens under his breath whilst fumbling blindly towards his desk.

He bumps his foot on the corner of the desk in his blind journey, "Jesus! Inova please for the love of God put on some clothes, so that I may see where I am going!" Inova understands the man’s snapping comes simply from a place of fond exasperation so chooses to not aggravate the man any further.

"Fine." In a quick burst of speed, the vampire has changed into her regulation uniform, the jumpsuits trousers do nothing to hide her curvaceous form. After the sudden change she comes to a standstill beside Erskine who's removed his hands from his eyes and begun rummaging through his desk.

"Now you're dressed, Colonel Phillips would like to discuss something with you shortly." Inova, who'd been studying Erskine notes on his serum cocked a bro in intrigue.

Her arms folded superstitiously in front of her chest as she leaned her weight against the desk, "Whatever on earth could Phillips want to discuss with me?" Abe, shrugs in the most unconvincing way and lies straight through his teeth.

"Something about drills." If he knows Inova doesn't believe him for a second, he shows none of this awareness on his features. Playing along Inova strides towards the cabin’s door.

"Drills huh?" She agrees before the sound of the timber door shutting blocks off the sounds of her leaving.

*-*

The men have already begun the required drills of the day by the time Inova makes her way over to the main operations tent, to where Colonel Phillips awaited her arrival. Peggy's pushing the men harder than usual, probably due to the reports of an attack that took place on American troops a few hundred miles away from an ally’s base in Italy. Inova can't blame the woman for being concerned.

Somewhere between crossing the army camps grounds she feels the tell-tale eyes of one of those soldiers plastered onto her form. Inova knew the action of staring back could ignite the sparks of a game where the outcome would be nothing good. Her danger lurked beneath the surface of her seemingly human skin, whilst his never-ending righteousness was barely contained within that too small body of his.

They could spell disaster so perfectly.

As quickly as such overwhelming thoughts came, they were smothered by an unnerving sense of dread. She could practically hear the harsh tone of her mother’s voice.

_"Nothing good ever comes from you caring for someone Inova...so don't."_

It was a warning she needed to remember; Inova continued past the men to Phillips without so much as a teasing glance. Reaching the tent, she's not surprised when Phillips immediately barks at her to zip up the front of her army jumpsuit up properly, doing it up slowly whilst maintaining eye contact only riles up the man more.

Inova smirks at the man's stoic anger, "Miss Violet, word is you know how to infiltrate and fight." It's as if the raised brow of surprise is enough to convince Phillips he's right, as the man continues undisturbed. "Oversees in Italy there's a growing production of weaponry specifically made for the German troops-" Inova decides to interrupt the man with a comment on how it shouldn't be surprising seeing as Italy had allied themselves with the Nazi's now. The Colonel clears his throat tiredly, as if the point had been expressed to him before. "I am well aware of the idiot’s decision Miss Violet, however many of our returning troops gave detailed reports of men using such weapons to kill both our allied troops and Germans." The mans' face betrays nothing, but the clench of his fist informs Inova all she needs to know.

She stands the tad bit straighter and leans in towards the man lowering her voice. "You think there's another player involved in this game of war?" Phillips ever the serious simply nods, Inova continues. "You've brought it up to the board I assume but they dont believe you, because you don't have any evidence to prove your suspicions. Do you?" Phillips is practically glaring at her now, but Inova doesn't care she's got the upper hand for once and it feels exhilarating.

"Which is why you need me. I can do the things you can't with a little more flair and... discretion."

"Miss Violet, is this war a game to you?" Inova tries not to laugh.

"Of course not, sir I would be honoured to get out of this base and gather the intel you need." Phillips doesn't stop being tense but at least the scowl is wiped off his face. He hands Inova a file that was sitting on the top of his desk.

"The reports detailed this rogue group to an outskirt in Italy close to the front line, many of our regiments are stuck in battle and can't advance because of the threat. Get me evidence of their existence Miss Violet and I can guarantee you a magnificent honour in America's history books." Inova didn't hold back her eyeroll.

"Believe me sir, I don't want that at all." Phillips drew his eyes into narrow slits as he dared ask Inova just 'what it was she wanted'.

The vampire grinned, not missing the opportunity to exploit her newfound situation. "Well..." She drags the l's out in her British tone before settling on a preferred gift. "A new outfit would be appreciated." If the Colonels exasperated sigh and muttered grumble of 'women' under his breath was meant to deter Inova, it didn't work.

*-*

Inova steps out of the tent in an outfit a little more her style.

On the bottom she wears a pair of dark green khaki combat pants, tucked into a pair of black knee-high combat boots. The top half is covered with a simple black vest, her breasts secured by a compressed brassiere. To complete the look was a cropped camo jacket.

She gave the Colonel a cheeky smile, one he did not appreciate before going over to find Abe. The mad scientist is sitting in the corner of the mess hall it turns out, he's got the table smothered in papers detailing the familiar chicken scratch of his notes. The sight was slightly endearing to Inova and would've been appreciated if it wasn't for the company Abe had decided to keep.

"You see Steven it is all in a matter of principle-" Abe glances up from his notepad and his sentence trails off as he locks eyes with Inova from across the hall. "Ah, I wondered what was keeping you so long."

Inova doesn't believe him for a second. "Oh really." She drawls, taking a seat whilst simultaneously resisting the urge to inhale too deeply. The food on base always smelt so artificial. 

"Yes..." Abe goes quiet just studying the woman mutely for a few seconds. Inova chooses the moment to finally acknowledge Steve's presence at the table, the man has paused in his eating to observe the interaction between the two. Inova notices the soft flush of his skin when he realises, he's been caught staring once again. This pleasure is becoming far too much of a habit, Inova throws the man a smile to put him at ease.

"Wenn er nicht klappt, kann ich ihn haben?" Erskine shakes his head fondly, not once breaking his composure as he looks between both Inova and Steve.

"Nien Nova." Inova pretends to frown, showcasing her upset to a Steve who has no idea what's going on. He keeps glancing at Erskine as if It will help him suddenly understand the German dialect.

Inova purrs at him. "You've had a rough couple days Steven. You really should try to eat more." Erskine interrupts before Steve can even reply to her comment.

"And you've eaten what exactly?" Inova knows he's slightly annoyed by her sudden show of fondness for Steve, which Is exactly why she tells him she's going to find food elsewhere. "Where exactly?"

"Italien Arschloch, denn falls Sie es vergessen haben, Sie haben mich in einer Basis voller Appetithäppchen allein gelassen, ich darf nicht essen!" Although the rest of the hall is full of boisterous ruckus, the vampire makes sure to mutter the scorn in a hushed tone so as not to be overheard. Steve's noticeably shrunk back in his seat at the loathing expression etched onto the woman's face. It was such a juxtaposition from the beaming smile she'd given him earlier that his movement was almost involuntary. Erskine seems for the most part unfazed, he simply puts down his pencil and sighs a weary sound.

"How long will you be gone for?" Inova relaxes just the slightest bit, leaning away from the table after accidentally listening to Steve's increasing heartrate. Trying to make herself seem less threatening.

"About three days, five tops if Mina finds something that catches her attention." Steve still ever confused watches Erskine nod in finality at the mentioning of this other woman. Whoever she is must be influential enough for Erskine to just let Inova go to Italy alone. Who'd protect her if she got hurt? Didn't she know that war was going on strong in those areas?

"Good luck, I would tell you to be careful, but I know you wouldn't listen anyway." Inova's demeaner changes completely as a smile overtakes her features, those dark eyes of her brightening up in a way that makes Steve's breath catch. Steve's not entirely sure what colour they are either, seeing as he can only make out the brown or black in people's eyes. Hers are dark sure but light enough to sparkle in a way he's never encountered.

"Ah Abraham, you know me so well. " With the comment she stands to her full height, she pats the scientist companionly on the shoulder. "Promise not to do anything fun whilst I'm away." Erskine teases her with a 'no' so Inova waits for Steve's answer.

Steve can only get out a choked, "P-pro." before clearing his throat and deepening his tone to try again. "Uh, promise." Inova smirks a him, and Steve's pretty sure if he wasn't blushing before he was now. Somehow Erskine's disapproving shake of his head doesn't even matter because she's still smiling at him as if she knows something none of the men do. It's this reason which enables him to do nothing else but look at her retreating back as she walks away and out of the mess hall without nothing but a 'Goodbye boys' thrown over her shoulder in their direction.

He wonders if she's thought of that morning by the lake ever since it happened.

With her gone, Steve notices the look Erskine is giving him. Ducking his head back to his meal Steve tries to distract the man.

"So... you were explaining the principles of your studies to me." Whether it's because Erskine is genuinely distracted or chooses to not bring up the moment beforehand is unclear to Steve. Whatever it is he is grateful when Erskine continues to ramble on about science Steve could only hope to understand.

*-*


	3. The Wars Not Just Here, Hate To Break It To You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kill was ruthless, efficient and easy, just the way Mina liked it.
> 
> Turning around she braces herself to face the fearful scrutiny that she was bound to get. Yet Barnes wore nothing but a gawk of gratitude, his lips were pressed firmly together to not let out an embarrassing sound. Those war toughened hands twitched on his own rifle; eyes bright with an emotion Mina had never seen directed at her...ever.

Overseas in Italy close to Austrian borderlands proved to be just the place to go.

War was so close Inova could feel it seeping into her bones, the urge to feed and kill became stronger when she was practically surrounded by the scent of death. It was only in such environments pillaged by war was Inova confident enough to let Mina take over for a bit.

She'd made sure to tell her inner wolf of the mission beforehand of course, within the space of her mind reserved for their talks to one another. Mina liked to think she was a prisoner but to Inova she was nothing if not a best friend. She'd grown up with the wolf inside her head, voicing her opinion and making her thoughts known of just about every decision Inova had ever made.

Within their shared mind Mina's appearance had slowly morphed to take on the same features of Inova, although the two were completely identical now there of course were some tell-tale differences. Mina had picked up the American accent from god knows where, claiming it suited her personality better. Inova thought quite the opposite but Mina cared very little about the vamp’s thoughts and feelings. It was Inova's mother after all who had forced Mina's being into Inova's body, conjuring magic so irreversible during the hybrid wars that Mina had no choice but to accept her new half existence. Mina eyes are the colour of lapis lazuli, deeper than any gem found on the earth, you're able to recognise whose taken control of the body when the eye colour changes.

It's rare, being able to assume control of the body so Mina is revelling jumping around from ruined building to ruined building. She would had evoked the change and became the so-called notorious hound ages ago but Inova laid down ground rules.

NO WOLF SHIFTING

Mina obeyed begrudgingly not wanting to ruin the opportunity she had been granted. That brings us back to the wolf perched atop a facility she'd tracked a coup of men back to. The men had worn unlabelled uniforms and operated away from the major front lines; Mina suspected they must be involved in the new threat Phillips told Inova about. The building honestly appears to be newly abandoned, the communications tower she'd examined had been hastily unplugged, coding mixed up to hide something. Mina wonders what's caused the hasty retreat.

Slipping through a cracked open window, it turns out she doesn't have to wait long for an answer. There are bodies scattered on the floor, uniforms belonging to allied troops and the mystery group alike. Kneeling beside the one closest to her she examines the all black uniform and heavy metal bracing leading all the way onto the metallic eye goggles around their eyes. Whoever this group is they're not going for practical, there's not even an insignia to identify them by. Unfazed by the death, Mina sticks a finger into the bullet hole piercing the man’s upper chest straight into the lung. It's still warm.

"Ich höre Bewegung hier!" Hearing the German voices just outside the door, Mina snaps to attention. Just as the men crash in weapons armed, the hybrid lunges toward the first with an inhuman speed. The man suffers a snapped neck before getting thrown across the room by Mina's own hand, she moves onto the next two forgetting her own strength when she rips the next guys arm straight from the socket. His scream of agony is ended shortly when Mina bashes his head onto the wooden door so hard it goes right thorough. Number three decides it would be a good idea to shoot at the inhuman woman and delivers a bullet straight into her leg.

The heated pinch of it gives Mina pause, without a flinch she glares down at the wound in her leg it's already starting to heal pushing out the bullet, but the blood and hole in her new trousers is gonna be a pain in the ass to get out. Turning her glare onto the man who has frozen in terror she hisses a him before letting out an angry "Das sind neue Arschlöcher!" The fool drops his gun and raises his hands in surrender. Mina ignores his plea and roundhouse kicks him into the drywall; he's killed on impact.

Leaving the room, she brushes off the mess in her hair and carries on through the facility, she makes note of the endless ruined labs and possible weapon rooms but apart from all the typical war stuff though nothing particularly damning is there. Mina needs to find something concrete, something she can use.

Rounding the corner Mina is just about to give up when she collides head on with something hot and fleshy.

"What in the-" The curse is already leaving her mouth as she pushes back and finds herself having to look up at whoever the fuck this is. However, it soon dies in her throat as she takes in a set of smoky blue grey eyes, a frown etched into this man’s somehow familiar face and Mina has to take a moment to process how she fucking knows this person. The man for the most part has his mouth propped wide open and is doing nothing to hide his complete and utter shock and holding a dame in his arms.

"Holy Christ, what are you doing in here are ya crazy? Get outta here doll this ain't no place for a dame!" The Brooklyn accent to his words is what brings it home for Mina, she knows his face because Inova's seen him before.

_It's Bucky, the man who was with Steve back at the Stark Expo._

Inova fills in from their mind link and Mina must stop herself from shouting the man's name, this blundering idiot forgets to watch his six as he's so taken with her appearance. Mina, who is by now in full attack mode and in no mood to be judged on behalf of her gender, ducks between Bucky's unsuspecting legs to take out the enemy sneaking up behind him. Disarming the man is almost too easy, with his gun in hand she breaks the enemy’s leg by inverting the bone of his kneecap. Just to be on the safe side she shoots him in the head twice for finality.

The kill was ruthless, efficient and easy, just the way Mina liked it.

Turning around she braces herself to face the fearful scrutiny that she was bound to get. Yet Barnes wore nothing but a gawk of gratitude, his lips were pressed firmly together to not let out an embarrassing sound. Those war toughened hands twitched on his own rifle; eyes bright with an emotion Mina had never seen directed at her...ever. 

It admittedly makes her falter, enough that when a shot is aimed at her, it's thanks to Bucky she won't have to dislodge a bullet from her skull that night. However, the oaf lands on top of her from the tackle he gave, leaving both vulnerable.

Mina growls already springing to action, "Roll towards the wall you idiot!" Mina instructs before rolling them both with her strength straight out of the line of fire. The next shot ricochets off the concrete floor far too close for comfort, now on top and practically straddling the soldier, Mina grabs his rifle and shoots blindly in the direction of the shooter. Using her heightened hearing she knows precisely that her hit has gotten its mark after she hears the groan and falling body. There's another sound amongst that, close to a pulse beating wildly and ragged breathing, Mina is confused as neither of those things come from her own person.

It's not until she considered the ground beneath her that she remembers Bucky has been under her the entire time, she also remembers the fact that he 'saved' her by putting himself in extreme danger. His existence suddenly becomes rather annoying, but she can't comment on it she can only spring up into another attack position as she hears heavy footfalls just around the corner at the end of the corridor. Still clutching Bucky's gun, she aims and is all about ready to shoot until the man himself gets between the barrel and her targets.

"Hold on a minute crazy, it's fine they're on our side!" Mina noticeably tenses, her distaste for the insult hurled out at her clear from her positioning. For a minute Inova thinks she might have to resume full control before Mina killed these Americans. Mina lowering the gun however stops her from doing so.

She's not going to kill them then.

"Who's the dame Sarge?" The taller soldier out of the three questions Bucky, his ginger moustache must be one of the biggest ones she's ever seen. Mina eyes his bowler hat as well, which really shouldn't work in a time of war but somehow does. Bucky turns from her to address his men.

"No idea Dum Dum, but she saved my life-" The comment is cut off by Mina who feels the need to remind this Sarge.

"I wouldn't have had ta if you watched your six." Her point is further emphasised by her harshly handing the man back his weapon, a scowl of barely concealed disgust highlighting her features. God, she hated how reliant human beings were on such things.

Much to her surprise Bucky snorts, "But you did so, thank you." As Mina examines him once again frozen in her position she feels as if she has been momentarily blinded. The man's smirk may as well be the fucking sun. The wolf suddenly feels funny, nauseous, no hungry? She doesn't even fucking know but it's grating her nerves.

"Christ," She shrugs off the funny mood physically and goes for a more arrogant approach to ward these humans off. "What are you morons doing here anyway? You've jeopardised an ongoing state operation!"

Bucky's smirk still hasn't gone away, in fact his next words come out suave in a way he simply wasn't until now. "Destroying enemy bunkers on behalf of the United States of America dol- I mean ma'am." His eyesight never strayed off Mina for a second, she was thankful to the dark-skinned man who decided to speak up.

"Bunkers such as this one, which as a matter of fact is about to blow in about six minutes, so we need to ya'know get out of here." They all made to move but Mina hesitated of course.

"I can't leave without proof." Mina's was going to march off, but the annoyance grabbed her forearm preventing her from doing so. The wolf's line of sight shot down to where their skin touch, it tingled, and she couldn't help but notice his smirk is completely gone now.

"Six minutes ain't enough time to be diving your nose into places it doesn't belong." Narrowing her eyes at him, Mina shrugs off his arm and becomes standoffish.

"Good thing I only need three, go get your men outta here _Sarge_ , leave me to do my job!" Without further argument Mina set off, she'd made it deeper into the facility by the time she chose to acknowledge the sneaky footfalls from behind her. 

"Jesus Christ if you're gonna follow me like a lost pup at least try to be inconspicuous, you're slowing me down!" Bucky emerged from the shadows, a sheepish expression on his face.

"You knew I was there?"

"Of course, now come on or do you need a handwritten invitation." He follows on with a simple nod, as they travel together through the place Bucky asks what kind of proof she needs. "Proof these people are an organisation."

"So… something like a coat of arms?" Mina pauses deliberating.

"That's perfect actually." She admits, impressed by his thinking.

"Great..." When he says no more Mina spins round to see what's wrong. Bucky's not staring at her but past her and up over her head. "There's just one problem." Mina follows his sight to this strange insignia hanging on the wall above their heads. Only problem is it's about sixty feet up in the air. Well, it's not a problem logically for Mina, just for Inova's secret. They have rules for a reason and not exposing their abilities to humans who won't later be killed by their hand is one of them. Mina could play it off- jumping all the way up the wall as a joke but something about the hard-set look in Bucky's eyes tells her he's not an idiot. Not as much as she likes to believe anyway.

"Dear God." Mina groans once more, rolling her eyes before rushing up a metal staircase. She goes all the way to the fourth floor with Bucky trailing behind her, they reach the level which is lined up just above the emblem, Mina critiques the jump between a metal beam that stretches to the other side of the room between the staircases and the wall as Bucky shakes his head.

"What now?" He asks clearly doing the same. Mina walks past him and goes to the metal beam; she's already leaped on it before he can protest. "Whoa hey, let's not do anything crazy now. That things about fifty feet in the air-"

"Sixty actually!" Mina corrects and revels in the Sergeants exasperated huff.

"Yeah well that's not any better, come on lady there's gotta be something else around this shitty place we can find." If Mina had to guess she'd say he sounded almost worried, but the thought of someone caring that much just seemed unbelievable so she brushed it off. Focusing on the task at hand she waited until she was directly opposite the emblem on the beam to crouch down. Bucky's eyes widened in panic. "Hey, hey don't you even think about it!" Mina smirks at him before doing exactly the opposite of listening to him. The wolf lands on the thing protruding from the wall safely barely making a sound, Bucky in the meantime is recovering from where he lunged forward in panic; soft gasps slipping from his mouth.

"Jesus Mary and Joseph! Are you alright?" Mina adjusts her grip and parrots the question right back at him. "Are ya kiddin' me, ya almost gave me a heart attack!" Mina can't help but laugh.

"It's fine, I'm fully capable." Then with the reassurance from Bucky being okay she focuses on ripping off the small plaque from the wall. It's no bigger than her head so it's not going be a problem carrying it back to the camp, bracing herself with her right hand on the metal bracket, she uses the left to rip the thing out of its hinges. At Bucky's impressed whistle she realises she'll have to downplay her strength a bit. "As flattered as I am, the hinges were rusty." Now with the emblem in her hand she needs to get down without using her abilities.

"What's the next step now?" Bucky's back to worrying.

Mina instead of answering throws the plaque over to him, it’s a miracle he manages to catch it without breaking anything. He's going to start yelling bloody murder she can sense it but before he can she shouts out, "Do not distract me _Sarge_!" And Bucky can do nothing but obey. Mina grips the metal bracket with both hands and pushes her legs in toward her chest, so she's propped on the wall by her feet and hands. Using the momentum offered to her due to the position she builds up a rhythm enough to jump back up off the wall, once in the air she twists round so she's able to grab onto the beam she'd jumped off earlier. The move was done all within a couple seconds and Mina heaves herself up with delicate hands before going over to Bucky. He stood gawking at her.

"You're something else." Mina gives him one of her signature smirks, eyes sparkling dangerously in the yellow dim light.

"Tell me something I don't know." Then she takes the thing out of his hands and bids for him to hurry up. "Now come on, we have 2 minutes before this place blows to kingdom come!"

He of course follows her.

*-*

The scent of ash clings to the trees from the night before, the enemies bunker is still burning but the roaring flames have subdued to mere embers as time passed. Turns out Bucky was one of the men in charge of a large unit, the 107th to be precise. Mina stood by once they'd escaped and gotten to cover, whilst he made sure every man, he had left was rounded up and accounted for.

In her hands she held the plaque which could very well help Colonel Phillips prove his point, the circle of the plaque contained an octopus creature chiselled into the material. Yet it had the top half of a human skull amongst 6 tentacles; honestly Mina had no idea what it was meant to be.

"You sure that's gonna be enough?" The question comes from Bucky, he's stripped down his jacket and tied it around his waist. There's soot clinging to his skin but he doesn't seem fazed by it, Mina forces herself to stop gazing at his body and answers the freaking question.

"It should be but honestly I dunno, only time will tell I guess." Then as if she suddenly remembers herself, she packs away the item into a rucksack she'd 'borrowed' and throws the thing on her back. "Speaking of time, I should be off." Bucky doesn't hesitate his next words.

Seeing the woman in the sunlight brings her bright eyes into focus, her iris shines a blue he's never seen in anyone ever. He feels this strange urge to know her and has no idea why.

"We're heading back to base for new orders, you sure we can't interest you in a ride back." What he really wants to say is 'a dame like you shouldn't have to get by on her own, lemme help you' but he knows better now. Mina takes a moment to show a rare smile, it's the least she could give a friend of Steve.

"It's alright, the mission was kind of off the books so I kinda have my own...transportation methods." Then for the last time Mina attempts to walk away from the sergeant of the 107th, an attempt once again thwarted by a gentle hand gripping her forearm. With a curious look Mina turns to see Bucky rubbing the nape of his neck with his other hand, his bottom lip is bit attractively as he deliberates on what to say.

Finally, he settles on, "Do I at least get to know the name of the woman who saved my life before she leaves?" Mina's ready to give her own name, before another rule comes to mind.

YOU IDENTIFY AS NOVA VIOLET, NOTHING LESS, NOTHING MORE.

With the thought, she smirks a little and forces the words, "Nova Violet, but I prefer Violet." to sound natural.

Bucky feels smitten, that quirk of her lips is quickly becoming something he likes way too much. This dame who wears trousers, isn't afraid to run her mouth and put anyone in their place swept in outta nowhere and he doesn't know who he’s got to thank for it. Bucky has to hold back the puppy dog smile he wants to give her, going for a smooth grin instead as he repeats the name from his own mouth and decides that yes, it's infinitely better than any Mary, Dolores and Pat he's ever met.

"Well Violet, allow me to introduce myself." Bucky holds out his hand. "James Buchanan Barnes, but all my friends call me Bucky." Mina accepts the incredibly human gesture and mirrors James' grin.

"Nice to meet ya Bucky." If Bucky shivers at the use of his nickname falling from her lips, well then that's just something only he'll ever know. Mina feels some form of gratitude toward the man for being so easily human around her, it's an experience she's greatly appreciated. Even more so seeing as soon Inova will take over once again and she'll be all but forgotten to everyone. "I mean it." Then with a final shake she grins again and makes her way through the terrain.

"You be careful out there ya hear!" Is shouted at her and Mina rolls her eyes at the sudden thickness of his Brooklyn accent.

"Wars not just here Bucky, hate to break it to ya." Then finally she waves once more and sets off.

Bucky watches her go, then stares down at the empty wood on the butt of his rifle. He knows exactly what to name her now.

*-*

Inova has long since resumed control of her body by the time she rides back into Camp Lehigh on the back of a war motorbike she may or may not have stolen. Riding in she can't help but notice the unwavering stares of curiosity others regard her with. The sensation of being watched feels eerie, so much so she can't help but take it as some form of payback for the times she watched anyone.

Ignoring the tickling sensation, she rides the bike through camp before coming to a full stop beside Phillips communications tent. To no surprise the man is waiting there, the same 'I feel nothing' expression plastered on his face. Inova grins knowing full well it's bound to annoy him. 

"Colonel." She teases but he doesn't arise to the bait.

"Miss Violet," He opens the tents flap and gestures towards the vamp. "If you'd be so kind." Inova enters the tent and upon realising its lack of people begins to take off the backpack. Taking out the plaque and handing it to Phillips who's waiting expectantly.

"What is it?"

"The evidence you need, this is the groups insignia, proof that they exist. Unless you know of any countries who's army parades around with an octopus on their uniforms." Phillips grinds his teeth a little, twirling the thing in his hands and thinking things over.

Eventually he finds it in himself to speak up, "Thank you Miss Violet, I'll be sure to add recognition to your name if this ever amounts to anything." Inova rolls her eyes, pushing a loose curl of hair behind her ears.

"I didn't do it for that." There's a moment of silence before Inova's curiosity gets the better of her- or rather Mina's restlessness.

"Sir if I may be so blunt-"

Phillips pauses in his fiddling, "What is it?"

Well no time like the present, "Are you familiar with the 107th regiment sir?" To her surprise, Phillips seems to think about it. HIs eyebrows rising slightly at the enquiry.

"We gather updates on every regiment on the radio Agent Violet, why the 107th?" Inova plays for nonchalance.

"Well, I was fortunate enough to make their acquaintance, a very brave group of men overseas sir," Her pause allows for feigned hesitance. "If it's not too out of bounds I'd like to request their location and next agenda from you sir."

Phillips is almost earnest, immediately giving Inova the desired information without pause.

"The 107th are currently back at base Miss Violet, awaiting departure transportation for a mission in Azzano for the end of the week." Oddly enough Inova swears she can feel Mina's protest vibrating under her skin. Inova nonetheless replies to Phillips.

"Thank you sir-" She's about to grovel some more but the colonel seems to sense this and cuts her off sharply.

"Think nothing of It, now back to the present, Erskine's awaiting my presence. Come on now." Inova follows him outside to where the mad scientist waits outside the science research tent. He smiles a little secret smile when both violet and brown orbs collide. Inova doesn't stop to think before pulling him into a short hug.

"I killed several Nazis for you." The vampire mumbles in his German tongue as she shortly embraces the smaller man. Erskine lets out a sarcastic _'my hero'_ and Inova just knows he is thrilled to see her as well.

The camps grounds are humid once again and Inova shrugs off her jacket, tying it around her waist as Phillips begins to talk to Abe. They're walking towards the recruits who've begun drills for the day under the watchful eyes of Agent Carter. The exercise now is push ups; Steve as usual is struggling, Inova can't help but note. It's almost as if Phillips were thinking the same thing, as he says something that immediately catches Inova's attention.

"You're not really thinking about picking Rogers, are you?" If Inova perks up at the question, only Erskine would be able to tell. Her eyes dart towards the scientist for confirmation. Erskine avoids eye contact.

He doesn't return her look but instead says, "I wasn't just thinking about it, it's a clear choice." The dichotomy between Erskine's words and Steve's current actions were not lost to anyone present in the conversation.

Phillips continues, clearly displeased, "When you brought a 90 lbs asthmatic onto my army base, I let it slide. I thought 'what the hell' he might be useful to you- like a gerbil- never thought you'd pick em." They stop their stride as they're close to the recruits, now completing jumping jacks at Peggy's command.

All eyes are on Rogers, who looks about ready to keel over.

Inova winces only slightly just as Phillips complains. "Stick a needle in that kids arm it's gonna go straight through him. As Steve continues, Phillips displeasure becomes more announced. "Look at that he's making me cry."

Inova takes a seat atop the back of an army truck and takes in Steve's fragile frame. It's no surprise he's struggling, remembering the list of his ailments in his file. Inova thinks Steve's probably had to fight his entire life, to prove himself to others. Maybe this is what Erskine sees in him as well. Inova- still in deep thought- thinks nothing of it when the colonel produces something from the crate, she's sitting next to in the supply truck, pulls out a grenade, unclips it then without hesitance throws it into the group of unsuspecting soldiers. "Grenade!" Is his only warning and Inova's heart drops.

Everybody scatters, Inova jumps off the back of the truck to her feet but Erskine's outstretched hand halts her. Peggy moves towards the danger as well but is caught off guard as Rogers who too had heard the warning, hurls himself onto the grenade. "Get away! Get back!" He pleads but nothing happens. Seemingly realising this too, Steve glances up coincidentally staring Inova right in the eyes. Her wide smile was not what he expected, he'd never seen it so bright. Phillips, not having made his point at all mutters a, "He's still skinny." before marching off afterward.

Steve's heart is racing, breathing deep and fast as he asks. "Is this a test?" Inova in a mood of absolute delight is nudged by Erskine who has a look of amusement aimed toward the hybrid.

"You're smiling like an idiot." He whispers teasingly, she nudges him back.

"Oh, shut it. I am 100% on your side with your decision." Peggy has helped Steve to his feet, along with picking up the dummy grenade. Inova strides towards them.

"If you'll allow me Agent." Inova grins coming to stand beside the two, she holds out an expectant hand and her grin turns smirk when Peggy places the metal into her hand. Without wasting another second Inova uses the tiniest amount of strength to throw the thing away, everyone looks on in shock as it disappears amongst the trees about a mile away from their current location. At the wide-eyed looks from everyone and the warning glare from Erskine she shrugs sheepishly.

"Uh, I used to play cricket." Everyone seems to buy it.

*-*

Later, Inova finds herself bombarded by soldiers’ curious questions and wandering eyes, someone informed the entire camp of Inova's not so secret mission. Everyone wants to know what happened, whether it's true she'd been amid the ravages of war. If she'd met the legendary 107th regiment. Inova's tired of the ever-present humans milling around her and growls lowly whenever she suspects anyone is going to get close to ask her something. Although her threatening demeaner wards off the questions, the stares are ever present.

Soon Inova staggers off base and wonders off towards the little creek far from the base grounds. It's a peaceful spot hidden away under the setting sun; above the water the sun rays reflect off serenely. Putting into motion an atmosphere of complete calm and serenity.

Inova, taken by the sight isn't even surprised to see Steve's found his way amongst the foliage closest to the water and seems to be drawing again. Unlike last time he hasn't seen her yet.

Her predator kicks in at the sight oddly enough, it's the wild animal in her that can’t help but crouch low so as not to be seen. She prowls with dangerous intent towards the unsuspecting man, it's all so real and for a moment Inova forgets she's supposed to be quiet and snaps a rather large twig beneath her foot. Her wince is sharp as she suspects she's been caught, but Steve hasn't even flinched a little.

Inova frowns and repeats the notion again, still nothing. If this was an enemy Steve would have been dead moments ago. Suspecting but still unsure Inova gets as close as she can without being seen and whistles lowly towards Steve's left ear. Steve's hand itches just below the left ear lobe but apart from that he barely moves a muscle. Simply resumes sketching whatever it is he's found an interest in.

Inova plumps herself down next to him, shaking her head as the action is the thing to startle Rogers to attention. "You know, you shouldn't take this the wrong way. You'd make a terrible soldier." Steve's blush is high on his cheeks and is quickly spreading down his chin toward his neck. The muscle in his jaw shifts, showing he's tensed himself up; the soldier is mad.

"I've got every right to fight." Inova nods taking in the smaller human.

"I didn't say you didn't have a right. You have all the right in the world Steve. Just because you have the guts does not mean you'll be any good at being a soldier though, not as you are now anyway." Steve noticeably bristles.

He clears his throat, pencil dropping on his notebook carelessly as he glares right at the hybrid. "Right, and I'm sure you have every note on what makes a good soldier huh?" Inova freezes under the intensity of that stare, it's not even the accusation which gets to her, it's the good soldier that doesn't sit quite right.

Steve seems to notice her pause, his relaxing form indicating his hesitation. "I apologise, that wasn't polite." He lowers his chin towards the ground and keeps his eyes on the water to distract himself from her reaction. Inova says nothing for a while but mirrors his body language and watches the water.

When she does speak her voice is a small, "I'm not a good soldier. I'm not a good person either to anyone and I never will be." Steve turns his eyes ever so slightly to see the far away manner Inova had slipped into. Her eyes stared unseeingly at the water which rippled as a soft wind picked up. "I am able to do the things normal people are unable to do Steven, I am able to fire a gun without hesitation, ignore the cries of those in pain and kill without mercy," Steve's eyes widen at the emotionless delivery of her shocking truth. "I was born to be this way and because of it the country you love has made use of me...war is something I was bred for Steven. I've been a soldier fighting for longer than you could imagine, you really should take no offence to my statement of you not being a good soldier. You have the compassion of a man three times your size, there are people who appreciate this, but war will not. Those with compassion are killed long before they can be heard." Inova deems herself controlled enough to reveal such secret things to Steve who is staring at her with those eyes she can't quite understand.

"You did go into the war zone. The rumours are true?" Inova nods and Steve continues undeterred. "When you were over there, did you meet the 107th!?" He's on his knees now, something close to unabashed hope plastered on his face.

"...yes." Replies Inova slowly, watching as Steve gasps.

"Please Agent Violet I just need to know if you met a man by the name of James Buchanan Barnes, he was deployed sergeant in the 107th. Please tell me he's alive." Inova doesn't even hesitate, how could she when Rogers-with his sky-blue eyes- is giving her a look like that.

"Devilishly handsome, cunning smirk with an attitude the size of Buckingham palace sound familiar?" Steve nods eagerly. "Yeah I met him alright, saved his life too." Suddenly the anxious hope passes from Steve's features and is replaced with pure relief.

"Thank you, y-you have no idea how good that is to hear." Inova nods in his direction acknowledging his comment, finally glancing at him long enough to appreciate the slight build-up of tears in his eyes and how it somehow brings out the baby blue in those irises.

After that they sit alone in refined silence, neither one saying a word to the other. Instead taking silent comfort in the fact that what had been discussed would be unknown to anyone else but each other. When at last Inova notices the lack of sun within the sky, she suggests to Steve maybe it would be a good idea to go back to the barracks. After all, there is a set curfew on the base and Phillips would be pissed if he found out that Steve wasn't sticking to it. The smaller of the two agreed, even going as far as to offer to walk her back to her cabin. She denied such a request, saying she needed a longer moment to think through. Also, Erskine needed to see him and Inova was pretty much trying to avoid him. Steve went off with a whispered goodnight one she reciprocated before turning back towards the water, wandering off into her thoughts once more.

*-*

"Honestly, I dont know why the whole things getting this much attention." Inova mumbles under her breath as she pushes yet another reporter out of the way to get down into the lab area, Erskine is hot on her heels.

The mad scientist sighs rubbing his forehead in agitation. "This was to be expected, he is after all going to be the first super soldier. You would be curious too if you weren't already harbouring a greater secret." Inova rolls her eyes at Abe's tease and helps him to secure one of the bolts within the machine.

"What kinda secret we talkin' about 'ere?" Pitches in Howard Stark's voice from where he's underneath the machine under the excuse of 'fixing' the turning brake, even though Inova know he's only there to eavesdrop. The hybrid steps on his shoes in warning and the mad millionaire exclaims a rather loud protest, sliding out from under his device.

"Mind your business Stark." Her warning does nothing to actually stop his 'charming' behaviour but he does cool it down a bit in favour of actually doing his job, his little grin the only thing letting Inova know he's not actually annoyed but rather the opposite.

Inova and Erskine start to conversate quietly in German until the double doors on the top deck open sharply, drawing both their attention upwards.

Steve has arrived, with agent Carter beside him, his eyes slightly terrified as he takes in everyone's scrutinizing stares. Inova tries to go for friendly instead of ogling, offering him a small smile. Whereas everyone else is probably thinking one thing, this cannot possibly be the right choice.

Carter leads Steve down to the lab, where his future awaits him. Erskine must feel his unease as he greets him softly 'Good morning' not wanting to spook Steve. A camera guy however doesn't share as much sympathy, taking a full flashing pic before anyone's the wiser to tell him not to. Inova's growl in his direction is not missed by Abe, the scientist ushers him off just as quickly before things get ugly.

Inova doesn't know why on earth she was being so protective, maybe it was the way Steve stared clearly quite anxious but silently determined at the machine which 50/50 could either kill him or make him stronger; whatever it was Inova was pretty sure she was now bound to make sure he'd survived enhanced or not.

"Are you ready?" Erskine asks after a few moments and when Steve nods he instructs him to take off his shirt, tie and hat.

Steve snaps to follow the order but not before glancing bashfully at Inova and Peggy. The latter slightly blushed looking hurriedly away whilst Inova rolled her eyes and continue to stare expectantly at the man. It takes Erskine calling Inova's name and bidding her over to him for Steve to carry on with his undressing. Inova makes a note to not let a pout show on her face.

Once again at Abe's side she notices Colonel Phillips has shown up and is discussing something with men in suits, Inova keeps her voice low as Steve takes his place on the table. "Are you sure about this?"

Abe doesn't even hesitate, nodding once and assuring Inova that 'Steve and his serum are both ready' then he walks towards the man a small smile on his face. Howard stands beside Inova, wrapping one arm round her waist as he teases. "Don't worry Vi, it won’t hurt too much."

Inova snaps lowly at him before Erskine calls him over. "Don't make me punch you _Howie._ " The vamp knows the nickname grates on his nerves usually, but it seems he's too high in a mood to get annoyed today, the lack of reaction is enough to earn a pout from the violet eyed woman.

Howard complies to Erskine and informs him power levels are at 100%, Erskine takes in all the information then kindly ushers Agents Carter up to the booth, she agrees but not before sneaking one last look to Steve. He does the same to her, a look portraying a thousand words, a flutter of envy makes itself apparent in Inova's gut and she wards it off immediately.

There's no time for that now.

Noticing Abe's giving her a knowing look Inova throws him a short glare.

He backs off.

Inova whispers to him in German, "I'm your failsafe, this thing goes sideways I'm the only one here capable enough to pry it open." Inova can tell he wants to argue with her but seems to think better so stops himself last minute, nodding curtly before picking up a mic and announcing the experiments start.

Inova stands briefly by Steve, this time he's taking a shot of pain killers into his system, he scrunches his brows up but the furrow leaves after a few seconds.

"That wasn't so bad." He starts, Inova stops herself from giving him a look of pity as Erskine informs Steve that it was just penicillin. He seems to understand the weight of the information, enough to brave himself once again. Inova makes sure she's got his attention before tapping his nose and sticking her tongue out at him, Steve chuckles at her antics.

Inova smiles down at him in return proud with the achievement. "You'll be great." With her reassurance she backs off to the lower levels and watches as he's punctured by multiple needles in the machine, his eyes widen and his back slightly tilts off the bed but apart from that he seems ok. Erskine carries out the procedure checking in every now and then to make sure Steve's alright, at his confirmation Howard begins the true test. The radiation enhancement, turning the wheel to administer the power straight into Steve's tiny body.

The machines rising in percentages, "2%, 20%, that's 30%" It all seems to be going swimmingly until 70%.

That's when Steve starts grunting, in obvious pain. The sound throwing Inova into protective mode, something only Abe clocks onto as he holds a hand out towards her to stop any advancement she may try to make, he runs instead to bang on the machines window, calling out Steven's name frantically.

Even Peggy panics, heading out of the booth room repeatedly calling for it to be shut down. It's going to happen as well until Steve himself speaks up from inside the box.

"No! Don't! I can do this!" Inova's hand involuntarily clenches down on the metal railing she's holding, hard enough for the metal to bend as if it were malleable within her grip.

At one hundred percent sparks from the other machines flew off and the white glow from within the chamber dulled to an eerie black. The vampires about to let go of the bar and open the goddamn thing herself but Abe calls out Starks name and the chamber doors begin to open with a whoosh of air.

Inova can almost hear the patriotic anthem of America playing in her head at the first look of one Steven Grant Rogers. It's only the centuries worth of control she'd trained her body through which enables her not to gape openly like many of these humans are doing.

Doesn't mean Inova doesn't stare though.

Steve's not just upgraded; he's completely transformed. His body is now bulky, and whereas before his skin was a pale and sickly shade, perfect to illustrate his boyish features his new tanned physique could only be compared to one thing in Inova's mind.

An Adonis.

Edrania would have a field day if every bred soldier came out as perfect as Steve appeared now.

"Holy Edrani." It was the distraction which threw Inova's senses off, made her sloppy. The vampire didn't even take note of the man who seemed to notice the hand indentation she'd put into the metal bars nor did she care.

Peggy had covered Steve in a t-shirt, everyone seemed to be celebrating, patting Abe on the shoulders and giving him handshakes.

It was Abe who noticed the thin brunette first, not joining in with the celebration. The scientists eyes narrowed as he examined the man’s smirking features, slowly the man pulled out a device and struck it, an explosion erupted in the booth knocking everyone down to the ground. Inova covered Howard with her body making sure he wasn't hurt in the commotion she made sure he was alright, it was as she turned around to check on Abe as well that two gunshots rang out and her heart jolted from within her chest.

“Abe!”

Peggy shot off after the impostor while Steve knelt beside Erskine who'd fallen to the ground at the force of the bullets in his chest.

Inova didn't see or hear anything that he may have told Steve by the time she’d knelt beside them, but she did feel the absolute worst when Steve passed him gently to her with a quick 'sorry'. Inova panics again, completely losing her composure.

"Abraham don't you dare! Come on, come on your fine. Please, they'll help you just hang on, just-" His hand comes upward to cradle her cheek and wipe away the tears falling from her eyes.

"P-protect him." He coughs up blood, the image grotesque and wrong engrained into her memory forever.

Then he's gone.

Inova is paralysed. Her brain is processing everything too slowly at a rate she hasn't had to experience in such a long time. Grief, anger, turmoil it's suffocating her senses, her anger rising to dangerous levels she's going to lash out, she knows she is.

Like the predator she was born to be Inova stands, she bypasses Howard whose shouting after her, even ignores Phillips completely. Her keen nose leads her outside to the streets where the agents working for HYDRA have been shot. Two are still breathing, their wounds slowing them down from crawling away.

Peggy's turned to look at her, the brunette is asking if Phillip needs the men for information but Inova ignores her, the vampire bends down so she's level with the traitor, grabs him by the neck with a single hand and snaps it.

The agent beside her veers away in shock from the sight, Peggy drags her eyes away from Inova when the vampire prowls over to the other car, where another agent is dying inside.

There's no remorse in the woman's eyes, and Peggy must avert her own when Violet takes the man from the driving seat, puts him on the floor sitting up and repeatedly closes the door on his body over and over again. The sight alone is disturbing, the sounds of bone being crushed even more so, yet the agent can't stop Violet. She can only wait until the woman is satisfied.

When Violet stops, she stares down at her work with indifference, he deserved far worse for what happened to Erskine, seeing the red running down his discombobulated face wasn't doing anything to rid her of her anger.

Her fangs prod the weaker skin on her gums and Inova would feed right here, right now but a crowd had formed not too far away from her and she couldn't afford to be photographed by any noisy reporters right now. 

She left the disfigured body alone to go back to Erskine's cooling corps.

Peggy follows cautiously on.

*-*

When Inova next sees Phillip, it's in an underground lab and it takes her about ten seconds to throw him against a wall.

No one intervenes at her action, far too surprised to process what their seeing quick enough to do anything about it.

Inova's a mess, scrambling for answers of why.

Phillips seems to know this already, if the bored look on his face is anything to go by. Howard's next to Inova in an instant trying to calm her down but she flashes a sharp look of warning in his direction warding him off. "Who was it?"

"Agent Violet, Erskine was a valuable asset to this country-" Inova growls cutting him off, she uses her strength to push him that much harsher into the wall; it's a warning.

"He wasn't an asset; he was my friend. He fought neck and limb to bring you something that could guarantee his life as well as his family's. Do you know who had to tell his son his father wasn't coming home Colonel? I did. Do you care that his wife cried for hours on my shoulder without any sort of remorse from you or your country!" Inova could no longer hold back the anger brewing within herself, all the self-blame she inflicted in herself was being switched to anger for him, the man who promised Erskine safety.

Seeing the fear slightly showing on Howards face changed things, Inova backed off, allowing Phillips to straighten out once more.

With a harsh breath in Inova turned to Howard and apologised for growling, he gave her a small shrug in forgiveness but Inova still had to clarify things. "Who was it Phillips? I need to know."

"HYDRA, it was HYDRA" Peggy speaks up from where she'd stepped out of a lab, Steven hot on her heels. "They're a Nazi deep science division, led by Johann Schmidt. He has much bigger ambitions."

Phillips straightens his tie and looks straight at Inova when he informs the group that they're basically a cult who find this Schmidt to be an invincible God. When asked what's going to happen by one of the guys in the room, Phillips says that he spoke to the president that morning and the SSR has been retasked as of today.

"We are taking the fight to HYDRA, pack your bags agent Carter, you too Mr Stark. Agent Violet as well, we fly back to London tonight." Inova raises her brow but nod at the information given to her, of course she can't help but notice he doesn't call Steve's name.

"Sir, with all due respect if you're going after Schmidt, I want in." Of course, Phillips denies him, bigoted idiot justifying his actions by stating _'I asked for an army and all I got was you. You are not enough'_ only to then walk away from Steve. The newly huge man looks over to Inova for help, but she thinks back to Erskine's last instruction.

He'd told Inova to "protect him" surely by Steve not going to war she was fulfilling this request. Finding this the most logical path Inova feigns an unsympathetic stare before heading out after Phillips, she tried to convince herself it was for the best.

*-*

The next couple months were painful. Inova could feel herself plummeting further and further into her bloodlust ways without Erskine's constant presence to convince her otherwise. It didn't help that Phillips put her on countless of missions following up on Hydra intel, each one involving killing sprees of the highest degree. The Colonel never asks why Inova's covered in blood from head to toe, why her eyes sparkle under the lights when he sees her, why she's got blood in her teeth and Inova almost believes he knows why.

Either way she's grateful for it. Along the way, in numerous camps she finds a small circulation of _Captain America comics_ and they make her think of the not so little kid she left behind in Brooklyn. On days she feels regret for not saying something she simply looks over at the war on any battlefield she happens to be on and finds peace within her actions.

Steve was safe back home; she was protecting him this way.

Across the world, dressed in tights trying to work his way up to the frontlines. Steve's haunted by violet eyes, he hadn't known the colour precisely of Violet's eyes until she'd confronted Phillips and abandoned him without so much as a goodbye. He shouldn't have felt so betrayed he knows this, she had no obligation to him whatsoever, still. Violet was one of the few to see something in him when no one else did, to speak to him as a man rather than a child to acknowledge his presence. Seeing her in colour for the first time had done nothing to ward off these thoughts he'd had for her in abundance but rather amplified them. He missed her, he missed Peggy, Erskine too. Of course, the showgirls were great, treated him like a guy too teaching him the tricks of the trade, but under it all Steve knew they only wanted this version of himself.

 _Captain America_ , the show dancing monkey.

Pretending to be a soldier whilst real men stood out in the battle and fought for their lives. In this body Steve felt alien in, he felt like he'd been drawn straight back to square one.

That is until Captain America's tour diverted back to Italy and both their paths converged once again.


	4. Azzano

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Violet?" He assessed the woman's frame with worried eyes. He didn't have to be, most of it was human as hers lacked the red colouring, favouring the colour purple instead. Sometimes it paid off to be from a completely different planet.
> 
> Inova had to look past their wandering eyes. "Peggy, what's going on, why're you guys here?" The vamp flicked her gaze between the both.
> 
> "We actually need your help, I heard Stark owes you a favour." Peggy fills the hybrid in.
> 
> "He owes me a lot of favours," Inova wipes away blood from her head, Steve doesn't take his eyes off her as she gets back to the topic at hand. "What do you need?" The blonde speaks up this time and Inova just doesn't have the heart to deny either of them.
> 
> "Transportation." Inova nods, knowing where they're headed.

Mina had been running for a while now, towards the danger.

Azzano, she had to get to Azzano.

The mantra has been on repeat for the past hour since Phillips told her the 107th had travelled to the front lines there. Bucky was there, Inova had sighed once finding out but Mina was a tense ball of worry aching below her skin. The urge to shift had been strong barely controllable by the vamp who had control.

Eventually Mina's desire to get there was so strong that Inova relinquished control to her, Mina had taken off running and hadn't looked back since. The fray of war was bad in that area Mina had seen it so why the fuck had they sent the troop there in the first place?

The sounds of gunfire grew closer the faster she got to the fighting; some men had clearly abandoned their posts as the fire fight stretched into the trees she ran past. The Nazi's firing on the American troops didn't stand a chance once Mina located and killed them.

When the final enemy fell Mina turned to one of the American's, blood dripping down her face. "Where's your sergeant!?" The man flinched violently as a grenade went off not far behind them, Mina had to grab the man’s lapels and growl in his face as the explosion burned behind her. "Bucky! Where's Bucky!?" Instead of verbally answering the man pointed back into where the battle was worse; Mina drops him straight after.

"Get your men past the treeline up ahead, you get over that hill and wait for further instruction out from behind enemy lines, you hear me! I'll be there to meet you with any others, you're in charge for now, go!" He heeded her orders quick enough, figuring if this coloured dame could charge headfirst into a gun fight with no weapons at all, he could very well get his men to safety. 

He salutes at her. "Yes ma'am!" The remaining men followed his que further into the trees, Mina picked off any enemy soldiers who tried to gun them down. Most of the action was happening at the field outside of the tree line, she sped there taking out the idiots who decided to shoot at her.

"Sarge!" There was too much smoke in the way, everything was covered in a large covering of dirt and soot she couldn't see through. After ripping a man’s head off his shoulders out of frustration- an action Inova deemed unnecessarily violent- she finally caught sight of someone familiar.

A large bowlers cap stuck out, belonging to the same ginger who Bucky had been with when she'd met him for the first time, what had his name been again...Dum Dum?

Mina dashed after him.

Apparently, she wasn't the only one who noticed his vulnerable location, a Nazi carrying a rifle aimed to shoot, Mina was faster she tackled the man head on, wrestling him into the dirt. Her inner predator made her see red, how dare this fool try to kill one of Bucky's comrades.

How dare he.

How dare he!

When Mina blinked the man’s, face was a bloody pulp, she'd been bashing his skull into the dirt. Her gaze travelled upwards to the ginger; whose eyes remained plastered on the man she'd just killed. When his eyes fall onto her, he flicks his hat up in a gesture meaning thanks, Mina nods back before focusing on what she's here for. "Where's Bucky?" An explosion from not too far halts whatever reply the man may have given her, his rifle goes off as he shoots at enemies he can barely see, and Mina follows him providing a buffer between the enemy bullets and Dum Dum's very human body.

The wolf is surprised to only get shot twice, once in the thigh, once in the gut. Both times she managed to kill the person responsible in a brutal yet no less satisfying way. Eventually Dum Dum throws himself headfirst into a small ditch and Mina sets eyes upon the one person she needed to see.

"Bucky!" The brunette whips round, wide eyed and fearful at the sound of her voice, when they stare at each other his brows scrunch up painfully.

"Violet!?" She's going to confirm that it is indeed her when Bucky aims his weapon right at her and shoots an incoming Nazi. Once the man falls Bucky's marching to her, he pulls her down into a duck and shouts over the fray. "Did you come here with back up!?" The sounds of war should disallow Mina to understand but she catches his words as there close, so close she can hear the jackrabbit of his pulse beneath his neck.

Mina barks back. "I am backup!" Bucky shakes his head disbelievingly before Dum Dum relays information.

"There's about five waves of company out there!"

Bucky's already shaking his head. "We don't need company; tell them we need cover!" His comment is directed at Gabe whose fallen into the pit with what is seemingly a communication box.

"That might be tough!" Gabe informs, the machine is broken smoke being released from where it's been shot. Mina takes the time to tell Bucky what she needs to, grabbing him by his shoulder to turn and face her.

"I've ordered your men into a retreat, you're outnumbered, if we move now, we can get to the location I've sent them, you'll be safe!" Bucky's eyes flash wild as she carries on, he's shooting enemies and trying to listen at the same time.

Eventually he settles on killing, there's more Nazi's moving down a hill to their location. "Here they come! Where's Violet!?" The woman is about to point out she's right beside him, but Dum Dum's already handed Bucky his rifle, going on about the gun being here. Mina's confused until Bucky aims the rifle at the enemy, and she sees the name inscribed on the wood.

Violet

He'd named his gun after her, well after hers and Inova's pseudonym but still.

It should be like any other gun fight but something is wrong, Mina's eyes adjust to the clouds of ash and through them she sees the blue flash of artificial power, the shots of energy disintegrate the Nazi men for all there worth and the Americans stop firing. 

When the wave has all been killed the 107th unit burst into cheer, but Bucky knows something's wrong the moment he sees a tank rumble over the horizon, he's already turned to Mina his frantic expression traps her gaze to lock on his.

"You get whatever men you can and go to the others!" The wolf glares up at him not liking this decision at all.

"What about you?"

"Violet it doesn’t matter, just get em and go!"

He's already turning around as if the argument is over, but she isn't finished. The wolf grabs his arm and spins him to face her, the low growl in her words alludes to her unease about what he wants her to do. "Proving yourself ain't worth dying for!"

"It's not- Everybody down!" Bucky's frame collides with Mina's as the tank shoots rapid blue beams down at the unit. She's knocked off her feet as he lands on her, he's already trying to reload his clip. "Please go Vi, you're the only one I trust to get at least some of these guys outta here! Go!" Mina can't argue with his point, she is the only one capable enough to get some of his men out alive, but she doesn't care about them, they aren't Bucky.

_Mina come on!_

Inova bids her to leave him, he's stubborn he won’t go, but she can come back after the men are safe, she can save him then. This must be hydra and surely if they wanted the Americans dead, they would have killed them already, they needed prisoners Mina just wasn't sure why.

Her hands find Bucky's cheek and force him to look down at her. "I'll find you, i'll find you okay!" He hasn't got time to respond before she's leaping out of the ditch and rounding up who she can for the trees, but she hopes the message got through.

When she turns back Bucky and his troops are being forced to drop their weapons.

What the hell had Inova gotten her into?

*-*

It was raining.

The scent of blood and death clung disgustingly to Inova's clothes dampening her already clouded mood.

So, naturally it had to be fucking raining.

Inova was in the back of an ambulance that had come to park hurriedly outside of the medical tents at the new base. A while back after Mina found the remaining 107th boys and marched them to safety, she'd managed to communicate to Phillips about her impromptu rescue mission and he'd sent back a location.

A nurse had been talking to the vamp about what injuries she believed others had sustained from such attacks but Inova had stopped listening to her ages ago.

It was all the same anyway.

The remaining 107th guys had been lucky Mina had convinced her to go to Azzano in the first place, as she’d been there when they'd been ambushed, but now Bucky had been captured and every second being here was a waste of time.

Inova growled, a noise not entirely her own but also Mina's as she'd helped bandaged men and gotten them in the back of the rescue vehicles. It was raining as she agonized over Barnes, so of course it was still raining when none other than Steven Grant Rogers marched straight into her life once again.

Inova had walked out of the medical tent during the middle of a debrief with one of the doctors out into the pouring rain. The urges she'd tried to dismiss had resurfaced, she could feel her fangs pushing on the soft tissue of her gum begging to be released and had to escape from where the blood was so obviously present. Her long soaking wet hair had long since escaped the ponytail she'd kept it in and clung to her frame, her waves escalated into heavy curls stopping just above her lower back. 

The vampire really needed to get a hold of herself.

Her jacket -which had been zipped up to cover the three bullet holes she'd gained on mission- was equally as wet, the combat boots had bits of people within the rubber gaps she could smell it, but none of this was enough to faze her, nothing except Steve waltzing right up to her from Philips tent like he owned the place; her mask of concentration drops.

"Steven?" The name felt wrong slipping past her lips, but she tried not to let the grimace show, especially when Peggy made herself apparent beside him. Steve looked just as taken aback by her presence, the blood spattered on her person must really be quite terrifying, but holy Edrania he looked good. The rain had caught in his hair, at some point he must've ran his fingers through it as it appeared cowlicked. Inova wanted to hug him, his eyes had a sadness in them she wanted to fix. 

"Violet?" He assessed the woman's frame with worried eyes. He didn't have to be, most of it was human as hers lacked the red colouring, favouring the colour purple instead. Sometimes it paid off to be from a completely different planet.

Inova had to look past their wandering eyes. "Peggy, what's going on, why're you guys here?" The vamp flicked her gaze between the both.

"We actually need your help, I heard Stark owes you a favour." Peggy fills the hybrid in.

"He owes me a lot of favours," Inova wipes away blood from her head, Steve doesn't take his eyes off her as she gets back to the topic at hand. "What do you need?" The blonde speaks up this time and Inova just doesn't have the heart to deny either of them.

"Transportation." Inova nods, knowing where they're headed.

*-*

After Inova had roped Howard in with a favour, the man had a small plane ready and raring to drop both Inova and Steve to the Hydra camp Bucky had been sent to. Peggy spoke precisely, telling the blonde where exactly he'd have to go to find the lost men, the factory would apparently be swarming with HYDRA agents.

"That's not going to be a problem." Inova grunts out, then- forgetting all about the boundary’s humans have -changes from her bullet riddled clothes to newer ones. She's unbuckling the combat pants and pulling them down her legs before anyone can say anything and all their responses are vastly different.

Howard's over the moon. "Is it my birthday? It must be my birthday." Inova tuts at him but resumes her stripping whilst Peggy clears her throat rather pointedly.

"Agent Violet, I must insist a cease in all of your actions henceforth." 

Inova chuckled. "If I ceased all my actions Peggy, I'd run into battle in my undergarments. Avert your eyes if you're shy, or take it all in, I don't mind." Inova purposefully lets her eyes collide with Steve's as she slides her leg into a fresh pair of combat trousers, Peggy rolls her eyes when he blushes redder than her lipstick and throws his eyes down to the floor, Inova can only grin.

"Alright, you've had your fun." Peggy deadpans but Howard disagrees.

"Let her have a little more."

Inova flirts. "Careful Howie..." Finally, she's pulling on a tight vest and black leather jacket, buckling a utility belt packed full of grenades over her shoulder and across her chest. "there, all dressed. You can stop blushing now." Steve controls himself enough to rake his eyes off the floor and back to her, he doesn't miss the smirk she throws his way as she slides a pair of throwing knives into compartments on her belt, quite close to her breasts.

Steve must gulp, Violet has an air of danger about her in everything she does, even the mundane action of tying her unruly curls back from her face can be interpreted as another extension of her danger.

Howard cranes his neck round to address the woman. "Vi, I got what you asked for." There's a metal crate on the floor beside Steve and Inova doesn't hesitate to open it up, what's inside makes her smile. 

Their sits Bucky's calibre rifle, it's the same one down to the perfect detail, just as Mina remembers it. To confirm it to the wolf, the vamp flicks it over to see the inscription. 

There it is her human name. 

Violet carved into the wood in clear cursive handwriting.

Mina's satisfaction is clear over their bond and Inova grins the slightest bit, attaching the rifle to her back after she'd made sure the clip was full.

She rounds in on Howard in the pilot chair. "Thank you, Howie." The Stark man beams at the kiss on the cheek she gives him saying it's not a problem.

Eventually Howard's telling them he should be able to drop them right on the doorstep of the factory, Inova doubts the notion but keeps it to herself for now. Even Steve seems to hesitate, telling the genius to get as close as he can.

The man settles his eyes on Peggy next. "You know you two are going to be in a lot of trouble when you land."

Peggy raises her brow, "And you two won't?"

"Where we're going if anybody yells at us, we could just shoot em."

"They will undoubtedly shoot back."

Steve pats his shield. "Well, let's hope it's good for something."

"Hey Miss Carter, if we're not in too much of a hurry I thought we could stop by in Lucerne for a late-night fondue. Me and Violet had quite an experience last time." Inova raises her head to glare at Stark who she can see is smirking in the mirror’s reflection, Peggy seems to be trying desperately hard not to roll her eyes and Steve for all his innocence is gawking at the three of them.

Peggy, being the most mature of the three clears her throat to placate the growing tension. "Stark is the best civilian pilot I've ever seen. He's mad enough to brave this airspace we're lucky to have him." Naturally Steve's nod is a little slow, Inova brushes off her amusement and starts to guzzle down a container of blood she'd snuck onboard.

When the vampire looks up Steve's staring directly at Peggy. "So are you two...do you." There's a short pause when he tries to find the words and ends up glancing over at Inova. "Fondue." The moment he says it Inova's choking on her blood, she must turn her body away from the humans to avoid revealing her protruding fangs.

What the hell did Steven think that meant?

Once again Peggy must be the mature one, she hands Steve a device. "This is your transponder, activate it when you’re ready and the signal will lead us straight to you."

"Are you sure this thing works?" Steve shouts up to Howard.

"Been tested more than you pal." Howard bites back and Inova snorts, that's when the plane starts getting attacked, gunshots from outside the metal shake the thing on its frame; Inova's already got the plane door open readying herself to jump.

Steve makes a move to follow her, Peggy's complaining. "Get back here! We're taking you all the way in!"

"As soon as we're clear, you turn this thing around and get the hell out of here!"

"You can't give me orders."

"The hell I can't, I'm a Captain." Steve smirks and pulls on his goggles; he nods his readiness at Inova who nods back and jumps out first.

*-*

The two safely land in the forest after their shoots deploy. Inova lands first and waits for Steve before bidding him to follow her, she leads him to the entrance of the factory, it's gated off with guards restricting entry, but an envoy arrives.

Inova whispers close to Steve's ear. "Follow me, be quick." The two make for the vehicle at the end of the line, Inova hops in first followed by Steve who when turning around finds himself greeted by two men dressed in Hydra uniform.

"Fellas." The two men don't stand a chance, soon Inova and Steve manage to sling them out into the mud and sneak themselves into the factory.

So far so good.

As the van reverses back into a loading bay Inova tilts her ear towards the entrance and signals to Steve.

One guard.

He takes care of it, knocking the man off his ass with a simple strike of his shield, the two hop out once more and stealthily navigate themselves through a maze of tanks in order to find a way in, Steve points out some buildings on the other side of the maze and Inova nods catching on to his line of thinking.

One inside Inova's already using her keen sense of smell to lead her to Bucky, his scent isn't exactly the one she's tracking at the moment cause she can't get a handle on it but she can smell Dum Dum from literally a mile away. His scent is potent, a fact Inova is grateful for even if it is unpleasant.

Her and Steve take out a few Hydra Agents between them on their way down to where she knows the prisoners are being kept. When they finally get there, it's no surprise to Inova that there's only two guard on security duty, after all what could a group of weak enemy soldiers really do to Hydra?

Nevertheless, Inova takes great satisfaction in snapping one of the man’s neck with her thighs, when they both fall, she makes sure to land on top of him. Steve takes out the other guard who in fact turns out to have the keys for the cages.

Inova swears she hears a familiar voice ask Steve, "Who're you supposed to be?" 

Steve's panting as he glances over to her to confirm the other guy is down. "Um, Captain America." Another voice, this one significantly British seems confused. 

"I do beg your pardon?" 

The voices get noticeably quiet when Inova peeks her head over the grate to peer down at them. "Mm, hello again boys." Dum Dum is the first to smile brightly up at her. He takes off his hat and wipes the sweat off his brow.

"Well, i'll be damned. Violet I swear to god I could kiss you." Inova's smirks and moves to stand up.

"Hold that thought Dummy."

Steve and her get the troops out one cage after the other, most of the men give them grateful looks and gather around their saviours, when Steve opens up her pals gate Dum Dum envelops her in a bone crushing hug, one that lifts her off of the ground.

The vampire is stunned into simply accepting what happens, including his smack of lips to her cheek. If she could Inova would blush as it happens, she can’t, and the lighting is dark enough to hide her bashfulness. She wasn't used to people being happy to see her.

Gabe, she finally got his name thanked her with a simple nod of acknowledgement. Inova liked it, but Mina's impatience grew.

Where was Bucky?

Inova clutched Gabe's sleeve in her hand. "Where is Bucky?"

Falsworth -the Englishman who is eaves dropping- apparently, he knows where the man could be. "They took the strongest first, there's an isolation ward in the factory but no one’s ever come back from it." Inova sets her eyes on Steve.

"He's got to be there; he's got to be." Steve agrees with Violet.

"Alright. The tree line is northwest, 80 yards past the gate. Get out fast and give em hell. Violet will guide you out and make sure you get there in one piece." This is news to Inova, the vampires already opening her mouth to refuse the very notion, Steve's stern glower seals her lips shut.

Although she wants to refute, she growls and agrees. "Fine." She grinds out and Steve nods.

"I'll meet you guys in the clearing with anyone else I find." Inova's already supplying some of the men with the grenades from her belt, she gives the two knives to Dummy who salutes her and hands the rifle to Gabe, telling him to keep it safe for her.

The Captains on his way to find said others when Gabe stops him short. "Wait, you know what you're doing?"

Inova watches Steve nod, sure of himself. "Yeah. I've knocked out Adolf Hitler over 200 times." His last comment makes Inova roll her eyes, because honestly only Steven Rogers would consider that as anything close to experience. When all the men are left alone with Inova she shrugs off the leather jacket she wore and throws it carelessly over her shoulders; the reveal of skin sure gets their attentions.

"Now boys, whose up for a little chaos." The smirk on her face says it all. 

*-* 

The men of the 107th spewed out from the door Inova had kicked in, she'd bid them onto the field and told them to contain the fighting before running back into the factory to take care of somethings.

Her excuse was flimsy but none of them dared argue, simply carrying out the tasks needed to survive, meanwhile she'd ducked into the cover of darkness to illicit the change. Mina had been scratching at their bond to let loose and Inova could think of no better place to have her chaos reign free. The massive wolf burst through the facility doors and tackled agents who'd dared fire upon the allies.

"What the fuck was that!" Falsworth called out from his place behind the tanks gun, he was pretty sure his eyes hadn't deceived him but if they had he wasn't sure why it chose to conjure a huge dog to kill his enemies. "First HYDRA and now a wolf, what the heck is going on with this world!" Dum Dum cackles from inside the tank and cranks up the speed before shouting up at his British ally.

"Is it on our side!"

The man's response is a harsh exclamation. "It just ripped a man’s head off!"

Gabe's shaking his head already accepting this as his new life. "But he was German right?" He enquires, Dummy laughs.

Falsworth shivers nervously even though the air is scorching with the guns heat. "Yes, German." The wolf uses its powerful hind legs to lunge headfirst at another tank to take out the driver, the man’s screams are so high they ring out across the air, Falsworth blinks owlishly at the sight right until it becomes unbearable.

*-*

Zola is panicking, all his months of work is being destroyed by these hoodlums and Schmidt couldn't care in the slightest. In fact, if Zola had to guess, he'd say the Hydra fanatic has taken a keen interest in something. 

The shaking scientist closes in on his boss to peer over his shoulder to the monitor which holds the red-faced man’s fascination, what he sees threatens to unnerve him even further.

There has been nothing close to understanding from Zola beforehand when Schmidt talked of monsters ahead of humans and babbled on and on about the new world and he'd never quite believed it. Seeing them as the talking of a mad man, but this wolf before him wasn't fictional. 

This beast that chewed into its enemies with the danger and speed of a beast with intelligence was unrefutably proof, Schmidt was right.

Still, Zola trembles when his boss points to the screen. "Write zis down." He instructs and the shorter man’s lip quivers, his hand hovering over a notepad.

"Should we not send out ze evacuation alarm?"

Schmidt snaps down at him, his sight never once straying from the screen. "Write. Zis. Down!" Zola knows an order when he hears one, he's scribbling notes on everything he can see about her, when he's done, he realises the red skulled man had set timers on the bombs. 

Black eyes take in the larger than life wolf killing his men without mercy, its jaws rip into their bodies with no remorse its claws shredding into thick metal like it's nothing. 

Schmidt knows it's her, the eyes are a giveaway.

Zola runs off towards his offices to try to salvage his experiments work, once he's finished taking notes.

*-*

The instincts to kill remained on and present until the men marched together outside of the gates after obtaining enemy tanks and blowing the things to kingdom come.

As a wolf Mina had killed all men who had shot at those, she's aligned herself with, when they were safe, she'd travelled with them to the clearing Steve had spoken about. Some men tried to lag and when they buckled Mina would nip at the ground behind their feet, no one else could die, not until Bucky and Steve had come back.

Her instincts had been overridden with protective ones the moment the facility blew to high hell and neither Steve nor Bucky had shown, she was antsy low growls warding off those who tried to do something stupid like pet her.

Who the hell did Dum Dum think he was?

They'd reached the clearing safe and sound, meaning Mina only had to take care of a few stray agents. Now all that remained was a waiting game, Gabe's voice cut through the night air.

"Anyone of you see Violet come out of there?" There was a mumbled collection of ‘no’’ and before anyone has a chance to worry Dummy's on his feet.

"Aww heck, no way in hell is that woman dead. I watched her kill a man with nothing but her bare hands, she turned his brains into mince. I would know, used to be a butcher, she did some fine work." He shakes his head clean of the horrific memory and Mina unbeknownst to the group decides she likes Dum Dum the best. "Anyway, she's probably on her way here now with the Captain man and the Sarge." Speaking of, Mina really needed to give Inova back control before those things happened, if she wasn't a human and with the unit before the two came back, they'd both do something stupid she knows it.

With a pointed movement the wolf stands to her full height from where she sat and turns to the small group of men gathered. When their eyes are on her she barks with a little shake of her head and runs off somewhere into the foliage around them.

Dernier mutters something in French disbelievingly and Falsworth asks Gabe to translate. Gabe licks his flaky lips, "He said that was wolf for you're welcome." The Asian man- Morita scoffs.

"It did kinda save our asses back there."

Now that is something Dummy can agree to. "Yeah, no kidding." 

There's a snapping of twigs close by which urges the men into a defensive position, they've all got their guns pointed at the space between the trees. The dread starts to settle in when figures emerge, until Sarge steps into the light of the moon and frowns at them all.

"At ease soldiers Jesus, I think I've had my fair share of guns pointed at me for the day." Bucky's analysing the group of men trying to locate the one person he so desperately wants to see. "Where is she? Where's Violet?" The tone Bucky speaks with incites Steve's own worry; he's already adjusting his height to peer over the top of the men's heads in order to catch a glimpse of unruly curls.

Bucky's breathing deepens the longer he goes without seeing her, he narrows his eyes accusingly at Steve. "You said she was with you Steve."

"She was Buck, I swear she got them outta there-"

Bucky's shout elicits a wince from his pal. "Then where the hell is she!" 

Speaking of the goddamn devil, Violet drops down from the trees abruptly, her legs wrapped around a Hydra agents’ body. The men watch her twist the man’s weapon out of his hands, breaking his wrist as she does, his agonized shout echoes but she silences him quick enough. She pushes down into a lunge and brings the man’s head down with her, his neck is stopped by her thigh, but she's got a sturdy grip on the helmet, his neck snaps audibly.

In all the sights of war, this explicit show of danger has by got to be the most shocking. The action was violence incarnate, a true sight into the depravity man could surrender themselves to. Watching her in action Steve must close his eyes, she'd told him what she was able to do before, he just hadn't listened close enough.

Inova was born for this.

Bucky's relieved smile is something Steve's never seen before, neither is the emotion in his best pals’ eyes when he gazes at Violet like she'd just sang him a symphony.

Whatever the look means, Steve finds himself not liking it.

At last the women wipes the residue blood off her hands onto the dead man’s clothes and smirks at the Sarge. "Found ya." It's Bucky's turn to grin as he envelops her into his hold for a bone crushing hug. Inova's reaction is a gleeful squeal as he lifts her off the ground and spins her world off kilter. Bucky's changed, his scent especially, his blood smell's headier. The vampire wonders what had happened to him inside the factory.

Buck's grin hasn't died down when he drops her down and pulls her back to get a full look at her, "Of course ya found me, you're my lucky charm. Never can seem to die when you're around." Inwardly Mina flushes at the comment, she's happy the Sarge is alive, practically vibrating with that happiness. On the outside Inova puts up her false bravado.

"Yeah well, somebody's got to keep you boys alive." Her eyes pointedly find Steve's who has the decency to duck his head sheepishly. Bucky catches sight of it and his grin falters ever so much, was Steve blushing?

Violet's nudge to his shoulder captures his attention for the thoughts to dissipate. "Got you a present Sarge." Her hand outstretches toward Gabe who understands instantly, he places the sniper rifle in her hands and the woman gives it to Barnes.

"Aww shucks you found Violet. Thought I'd lost her forever." He doesn't even realise what he's just said before his eyes collide with the purple of the woman before him, his embarrassment floods his system. "I mean- uh..."

Inova shrugs, her movements slow as she glides a finger up the barrel. "A fitting name for such a pretty gun." Bucky's throat clams up, Inova's eyes land on his chest where she hears his heartrate accelerate from her simple action. The vampire is very aware of the pulse that juts out of his throat and puts space between them before she does something very silly.

"Captain, we should be going." Steve finally takes charge of the situation and assesses everyone's alright to take on the journey, he would call for Peggy and Stark, but the transponder has bullet holes in it. Instead they'll need to get the tanks and stuff by marching, it shouldn't be too hard.

Bucky's being teased by Gabe and Dugan as he checks in on them, Dummy's already fluffing up his curly hair with a hand and he scrambles to get away but the headlock he's in is too strong. The ginger man lets him up after his hairs a mess and starts yapping on about some huge wolf that joined in on the fight.

"What wolf?"

*-*

They'd set course for the camp after the firefight, Steve had mapped out the course back would take about two fortnights by foot at the pace they were going. It was late into the 2nd day when Violet suggest they rest for the night.

Steve agrees. "We'll set up here for the evening, there shouldn't be an-" The familiar sound of guns reloading and the tires of tanks drifting through the dirt gave Steve pause, he was sure he was the only one who could hear the noise but once again Violet had him beat.

She was already bidding everyone to be quiet, once they'd obeyed and the chatter faded the sounds of a patrol base up ahead became obvious. Violet was already tying her hair back up, the band wrapping round twice until all the curls were out of her face. The woman was already on her way toward the danger when Steve grabbed her wrist.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Violet's concentration is on the hand he's touching her with, when the Captain notices this he drops it. Her eyes flick up to land on his, her brow still raised.

Her response is simple. "I'm going to go deal with it." Steve seriously doesn't know how the woman can be so calm in a time where war is raging on. She wants to single handily take on armed soldiers that most definitely outnumber her. 

His head is already shaking, as is Bucky's. "Well we're coming with you." Steve tries to push past her toward the danger, but she's stopped him with a glare.

"Steve no, none of you are killing any more men, not this day." Her tone really leaves no room for argument, yet Bucky's opening his mouth, she swiftly interjects. "You'll both get in the way, stay here the men need you if shit doesn't go to plan...I'll be back in a jiffy."

The remaining unit watched Violet sprint off far into the trees, not a single man understanding how exactly this dame was so confident she had things handled, especially when she had no weapons with her.

Gabe voices the thoughts of the men. "Um Captain America? If that's your name. Don't you think at least some of us shoulda given her some back up?" Dugan rounds in on his friend and thumps him on the back, the darker man stumbles a little under the action.

The ginger does the same to Steve. "Don't worry pal, we've met Vi and I know what it feels like to be at the other end of her glare." In solidarity Steve smiles, although he is a little apprehensive to believe he made the right call by not following Violet anyway. He's suddenly on edge, he should really go find her, maybe she hasn't gotten that far.

"Personally, I think you guys are a bunch of fools. No woman as far as I'm concerned could handle this war, especially not a-" All talk stops when gunfire echoes back to their location, Falsworth's mouth pauses halfway through his sentence. Bucky's up on his feet straining his ears to hear any kind of sign that Violet's alright, all he can hear are raging yells and torturous screams, the stuff from most of his worst nightmares. He's practically holding Steve back from approaching the place beyond the trees, firstly because he knows Violet told him to stay put and secondly, he really doesn't think the unit could handle whatever forces they've got without Steve.

The sounds carry on for about five minutes, one last blood curdling scream signalling its end. 

The men waited anxiously to see who'd won.

Steve heard cracking branches from the tree line and held up his shield in a defensive hold, Bucky gave him extra cover with his rifle and other men lent a hand, holding up their weapons at whoever approached.

The figure emerging from the woods was considerably bigger than Violet, which made others cock their guns. Bucky was hesitant to do so, which was a good thing in the end because when the firelight hit the person it had in fact turned out to be the woman herself.

She had a shit ton of stuff strapped round her frame, shotguns on one side, machine gun on the back, was that a machete? Bullet rounds across her torso, shotguns on some belt, a massive sack was in hand which trailed in the mud behind her. 

It wasn't even the most shocking sight.

Violet was covered in blood, she was dripping with it, smeared across her face, arms, legs and body.

Jesus Christ she'd really killed them all hadn't she.

Despite the current predicament Violet seemed unfazed, she simply approached the group until she stood opposite her boys and dumped everything she'd collected in a heap. Bucky's brows raised comically when she pulled a bunch of throwing knives out of her bra and threw them on top.

Dugan breaks the stunned silence with a goofy laugh, he clutched his stomach and was bent at the knees. When he sobered up enough to speak his comment is aimed at Falsworth. "You were saying English?" The man didn't try to reply, much to Inova's confusion she shrugs it off and announces the sacks full of food if the guys are hungry.

Some of the men gather round to see what she'd gotten, the vamp steps to the side and rubs at the now sticking blood on her skin and denies herself the pleasure of licking it off.

The Sarge rolls up beside her, giving her a simple once over. "Any of that yours?"

Violet meets his eyes. "Not even a drop." Her smile is so sinister, but all Bucky does is smile.

"Well, i'll be damned."

*-*

Their gathered round the campfire, sharing tins of beans and soup Violet had scrummaged from the other camp, the unit had divided into small groups. In the circle Inova sat in sharpening some of the blades she found was Bucky, Steve, Morita, Gabe, Dum Dum, Falsworth, Dernier and of course herself.

A sense of calm had settled around, nothing but mumblings from the men Violet had tuned out in favour of focusing on her task.

Morita cocks his head. "Do you know what I'd like to know, how a fictional character turns out being a real-life man?" Only now does Inova tune into the conversation, her eyes flicker over to Steve whose got another one of his pretty blushes rising in his cheeks.

He's bashful upon reciting the tale of how exactly Captain America came to be, Inova doesn't miss the way he recalls Erskine quite fondly and admits it hurts more than a little to hear his name. Steve's eyes find hers when he speaks of the scientist and honestly Inova wishes he wouldn't, the ache in her heart worsens.

Morita swallows a spoon of broth and poses another question this time to the vampire. "So how did a woman like you happen to meet this man?" Violet halts all movement, her brow arches dangerously but she chooses not to make eye contact.

"A woman like me?"

Morita nods like it's obvious. "Yeah, you know. You're clearly a trained killer."

Bucky glares at the man. "Careful Fresno." 

Despite his protest the woman grins brightly, as if Morita has simply amused her. "He's alright..." Inova releases a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Erskine was a dear friend to me, he saved my life and I returned the favour. I was his so-called protector; he knew I was capable to uphold such a position because I told him my background."

Falsworth butts in. "Which is? If It's not to imposing for you."

If Inova finds it imposing she doesn't let it show, simply drags the knife across a jagged rock she'd found to sharpen it. "I'm not like the rest of you, war isn't new to me. I was sold off to some place in Italy when I was born, my mother didn't want me, so she tossed me to the highest bidder. The men that raised me taught me how to be a murderer,” Her chuckle is dark and humourless. "I knew how to shoot a gun at age 5, knew how to kill a man at age 6, from there it gets worse. They turned me and a few others into child warriors, had us kill their enemies... after all, who suspects a group of children right?" Everyone processes her words; Steve thought the story sounds like one from a horror novel.

"How did you escape?"

"When I was fourteen, they changed one of the guards. He was different from the others-" Bucky interrupts.

"He helped you?" He concludes and Violet smirks ruefully.

"In a way... he liked his women young you see, young and untouched." Steve appears green in the face when he realises where she's going with this. "I had everything he liked, so built up a relationship with him. He was foolish enough to buy into the whole charade and when I tricked him into letting me out one evening to... well I’m sure you get the gist. I gutted him like a fish with my makeshift shive and escaped. I killed them all and burned down the place on the way. They taught us to neglect our emotions, taught us we could never love or be loved, told us we were monsters." Her eyes finally glance back to stare unflinchingly at the men gathered round. "I guess they didn't expect their monster to bite back eh?"

Bucky's stubborn nature comes into play as he stares Inova right in the eyes, determined to get her to listen. "You're not a monster, you're not unlovable forget all that bullshit...You're my hero." Inova ducks her head to hide a sweet smile she knows is developing, Steve's caught it though, knows his pals just trying to comfort her, but still feels like he should add something to the mix, something to bring her smile back completely.

"You didn't even have to put on a silly costume to get the title." Everyone laughs, even Violet who after beaming nice and wide must naturally tease back.

"I don't know, I kind of like how tight it is." Dummy chokes on some water, the rest of the men take the cue and laugh merrily at Vi's joke. Bucky claps Steve on the shoulder to assure him he understood exactly how he felt.

They laughed and swapped stories until sunrise, and although most of Inova's were fabricated, she found she liked the feeling of comradery amongst everyone.


	5. Forget Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Hey, hey! Sarah Rogers was a fuckin' angel, bless her soul. She raised Stevie and me right, so if he says we're gonna say grace, we're gonna say fuckin' grace. Go ahead pal."  
> "Thanks Buck." Inova takes Steve's offered hand. clasping Bucky's with her left one and examines what everyone else is doing around the table. Realistically she knows there is no god, the phantom they believe in no more than lies to gain control of the masses, but it's important to Steve so Inova sucks it up. His words are short and sweet, he's grateful for the opportunity to rest and have a hot meal.  
> Inova wants to say god gave him none of those things, she did. With the thought her ego takes over, she wouldn't mind being Steve's god, having him say sweet things about her, for her. Offering himself to her in ways which make her gums ache.

They'd gotten back to base in one piece, luckily Phillips had justified Steve's actions, the Colonel was especially forgiving when it turns out Steve had managed to find the locations of other Hydra bases. Phillips would later issue the soldiers to relax, pointing them in the direction of a nice tavern.

Everyone went to celebrate Cap's victory.

Both Peggy and Inova decided to arrive together, Peggy in her stunning red dress and the vamp in a flattering black & white butterfly sleeved Loretta pencil dress that showed off her curves and bust rather nicely. To say all eyes were on them would have been an understatement, they both parted ways the moment they arrived, Peggy going to find Steve whilst Inova went to go say hello to who she now dubbed the commandoes.

"Boys." Inova greeted, teasing the harmless fools by pulling a cigarette from her bra to her rosy lips and asking one of them for a light. A man called Dernier pulls one out from somewhere and bids her closer to him. She bends over -knowing exactly how she’d come across- to light the thing and leans back up with a smirk, puffing on it to get the first drag of smoke into her lungs.

Dum Dum drops his beer all over the table and the guys complain as Inova chuckles bright and honest at the lot of em. Even the barkeeper can't help but giggle at the eager antics, the ginger man honestly seems embarrassed as he attempts to clean up the spill by wiping it off the table. Inova gives him her best smirk hoping it would make him feel a little better.

"Don't worry darling, have another on me." As she heads for the bar, Inova overhears the murmurs quite easily from the tipsy bastards _, 'Wasn't she American the first time we met her?'_ slipped one of their comments but Inova already trusts the men to go along with it, so doesn’t worry.

Approaching the back of the bar she notices Peggy has left both Rogers and Bucky alone, the latter’s shaking his head in obvious dismay.

"I'm invisible, I've turned into you, it's my worst nightmare." Steve pats him on the back.

"Dont worry pal. Maybe she's gotta friend."

Inova finds this may be the perfect time to intervene. "She does in fact have a friend, a rather bored one at that." Both men jump spinning around to see her, at the sight of violet eyes and a dangerous smirk both men flush in sheepish joy. "Lovely to see you too." The sarcasm drops from her mouth easily.

Steve smiles shyly. "Hello." He greets and is surprised when Inova winks back, the blush erupted on his cheeks has nothing to do with the heat in the bar and everything to do with the effortlessness of her action. It seems Bucky is distracted enough by the woman's appearance that he decides not to tease him about it, he always did have a thing for flirty dames.

"Well, I'll be damned my knight in shining armour cleans up nicely!" Inova smirks in Bucky's direction, leaning forward over the bar a little more.

"Sarge, you do know I could say the same thing to you?" Bucky laughs merrily, pulling the woman in his arms, who at first was surprised with the action but seemed to accept it begrudgingly. Inova pats Bucky's back twice in acknowledgement of what they'd been through.

When he pulls away because he must eventually, he doesn't bother hide his appreciative rake of eyes up and down her frame. Inova gives him one in return, switching over to Steve to do the exact same.

"So, boys. What'll be?"

Bucky claps Steve on the back bringing him in close to his own person so he rests into his side, his beaming smile rubbing off on the super soldiers own. "Hmm what does one drink before heading back into the Jaws of death?" The immediacy in which Inova snapped her eyes over to Steve was not missed by the Sergeant.

"You're both going back?"

Steve avoided her eye contact. "Yeah."

"When?" She demanded, her chest clenching up at the thoughts of Erskine's last words ran through her mind. _Protect him Protect him Protect him_

Nobody answers her question. For those few seconds Inova gets unbearably antsy feels the walls of the pub getting increasingly smaller around them.

She can hear the pulse beating in Steve throat, the convulsing of Bucky's throat as he swallows his drink down. It's jarring, "When?" Her comment is snapped this time, tone so sharp it makes the boys sit just that much straighter, patrons on the edges of the pub looking on in interest.

Inova sighs harshly, her nails rap on the counter and Steve feels compelled to answer her now.

"We leave as soon as possible, at dawn transport will be arranged to go back behind enemy lines." At the information Inova nods, Bucky watches her features morph into a new look of determination.

"Well then, you'll need a hand no doubt. Can't let you and the Sarge run around like a bunch of headless chickens now can I, no sir we cannot." Her babbling is adorable, Bucky drinks it in, this look of complete awe takes over his face contrasting to Steve's own which sprouted alive with panic.

"Violet no, you can't-"

"Can't what Steve? Can't put myself in the line of fire because I’m a woman?" The accusation shuts Steve right up and makes Bucky give her a closer glance.

"Wait a minute weren't your eyes blue? Weren't you American?" When she meets the sergeant’s eyes, it's with an intensity that gives the man pause.

"I was undercover Mr Barnes, had to change the subtle details." Inova leans over the bar into his space. "That alright with you?" He nods immediately and Inova grins at the childlike nature of it. Steve whose watched the two with a twisting feeling in his gut finally gets over his protective nature enough to ask Inova a question.

He sighs heavily, "You sure you ready to head into literal hell?" The hybrid grins at the blonde, the look she gives him doing nothing to soothe his nerves.

"Trust me Steven...the war doesn't know what's hit it."

*-*

In the upcoming weeks life was a blur, if they weren't doing recon, they were blowing up Hydra bases and when even that bordered the mundane Inova could feel herself slowly starting to lose it. Her fighting was becoming more brutal with every passing mission, the lengths she's willing to go to more questionable. 

The further they track into enemy territory in search of HYDRA bases, the more familiar the land becomes to Inova, the noticeably quieter she gets. 

Their latest mission hadn't gone so well, in fact it had been a total shit show. On top of Steve getting shot in the fucking thigh -because he'd launched himself at a tank before Bucky could take out the other teams sniper- Violet had had to go full blown savage to protect the howlies and had gotten shot twice for her troubles.

She'd worried Bucky had seen those times, but soon found he'd been too busy fretting over Steve to clock it. 

Now the group travelled through thick terrain not too far off the German coast, in fact Inova was sure she'd seen the grounds they stood on before. 

Her voice breaks the quiet. "What was our last known location."

It's Falsworth who informs her they were somewhere in Austria, Inova nods scanning the shrubs around them with her observant eye for only a second before she bid the men to follow her. "I know this place." Is her only justification, it seems to be all the men need to hear from her. 

Violet leads the men deep into the forest until a little clearing becomes obvious, hitched right in-between a couple of reeds stands a cottage. The group of men give each other mutual glances of weariness when seeing it, but Violet assures them it's okay. "We'll be safe here... promise." After hearing her pledge her word all the men are put much more at ease. They follow the woman through the shrubbery to the entrance where she delves into a small metal box on the ground beside the stairs leading into the place.

Bucky's interests are peaked the moments she bends down and switches on the power, she knows the place intricately it seems and had probably lived here at some point. He voices his thoughts. "Did you used to live here?" 

Violet shrugs at him whist beckoning everyone inside, the door creaks a little after she unlocks it with a key hidden underneath the mat. "Sometimes, it's a safe house of sorts. I'd live here whenever I was in the area." There was no sign of personal trinkets or anything else, everything she had to hide was in the attic, things from years before, incriminating things which labelled the vampire immortal had to be hidden; since she'd grown too attached to let them go.

She knew the men wouldn't venture up there but padlocked it anyway as she took a routine search of the cottage. It's a modest cottage, fairly sized with two medium bedrooms a bathroom with actual plumbing she knows the boys would love and a living room joint with a kitchen capable of making delicious meals.

Overall, it was very off the grid, a remote place to settle for a short time.

When she eases back into the living room assured the rest of the house was undisturbed, she takes note of Steve slumped down on the couch. He's nursing a bullet wound in his thigh and Bucky's taking care of it seeing as the blonde's got his weight off it. The sight reminds her of the unfortunate bullet that's lodged itself into her side, she had to take care of it privately.

Everyone's settling in now anyway, it'd be a convenient time to pop out. 

Violet heads to the back door through the open kitchen. "I'll be back." Is the only assurance she gives before leaving the grounds. There's a cow farm not too far from her place, and she was on good terms with the man who worked it and his family before she'd left with Erskine to America.

Hopefully they would still be there.

They weren't, it seems they'd left the house due to the war. There'd been a letter pinned to the door confirming this.

The vampire sighs but ventures around the open house looking for supplies. In the kitchen she spends a few seconds slicing up the skin on her side to dislodge the bullet from her body, rewarding herself with a swig of whiskey once it'd popped out. The whiskey was recorked and put into a bag for the trip back home. 

Her search continued as she went into the freezer looking for any meat, there was plenty of stocked beef fillets and steaks, fresh ones at that. Flies hadn't started hovering around yet, so the family must've left recently.

Vi stocked up on a great few fillet of beef and took some flour and lentils for the dish she'd decided to make. The boys deserved a big meal after all the stuff they'd been through.

One small comfort amid hell, and if she could be the one to give it to them well that would delight her.

The woman returns a half hour later.

Steve's patched up already healing with his leg propped up on a small footstool, Violet nods her approval at him, he wills himself not to blush. It seems in her absence the men had found a wine bottle from her liquor storage- she'd forgotten about it. Dernier is passed out on the arms chair, Falsworth drinks with Morita at the kitchen island both men swinging in the stool chairs. Dummy's apparently called first dibs on the shower, Gabe's fiddling with the radio and Bucky is nowhere to be seen.

"Gonna make some grub, hope you guys eat beef." There's a collective chuckle around the room, Violet smiles cheekily.

"This is war love, we eat everything." She smirks, nodding at Falsworth whilst emptying the bag of goodies and slapping the meat over the fire to thaw for a bit, she plops the bottles of whiskey and even some Brandy she'd found to the boys in front of her. 

"Thought you could all do with something a bit stronger." The merriment cranks up after that and Vi spares a glance down at herself before frowning. "Give me a sec to change and I'll get started." 

*-*

A hand curls around the corner of the door startling Bucky, who jumps in the air when the closet door shuts. Inova stands an unreadable expression cross her features as the wood collides and blocks his vision from peering inside; he hadn't even heard her come in.

"Don't...please." Bucky gulps at the expression on her face and apologises softly. He hadn't meant to snoop, not really. The brunette had been searching for the bathroom for Dummy and seen this room on the way to it, he'd recognised the personal details and found himself intrigued.

Unlike the rest of the cottage, Violet's room was lived in. Personal effects were everywhere, her clothes, her scent clung to the place and consumed him. Bucky wanted to know more about her and couldn't find any restraint to not look at anything he could get his hands on. 

Bucky sheepishly clears his throat. "Sorry, but uh I like your room, everything's really beautiful." The woman says nothing, simply continues her search through her drawers, he doesn't mind and continues to speak. "Who’s that?" Violet finally peeks up long enough to see the picture Bucky's pointing at. He's staring at the row of collectibles she has on her shelf, a variety of different relics from years of her past lives, in the middle is an old photo of hers. 

The man depicted smirks, his thin lips stretch across the expanse of his face, those smug eyes haunt her. Vi walks to Bucky, saddles beside him and puts the picture to rest face down on the shelf, she shrugs his inquiring sound away. "It's nobody I know now." The statement isn't a lie.

Violet then proceeds to change out of her battle gear, slipping the bloody coat from her frame and combat trousers all too aware of Bucky's eyes lingering on her body. Violet knows she's playing a very dangerous game, she's in her undergarments, bare to his eyes. There's not even any shame, only heat oozing off them both and it's making the air thick with the intensity. 

She's not even doing this to tease, it genuinely does not occur to her to hide herself.

Mina beneath the surface preens at his appraising stare, she's sending out suggestions to Inova of showing off, to put on a show for him. She’s likes the way Bucky looks at them, is enamoured with how his eyes don’t falter to express interest, even at their worst. 

Violet cannot allow it; she silences the wolfs voice with a warning. Slipping on the billowy skirt and cotton blouse avoiding Bucky's eyes as she went about things. The vamp knew she couldn't let things escalate between him; she had her eyes on someone else.

"I'm making dinner." Her voice is flat, Bucky turns away from her flustered. He doesn't trust himself to speak only nods and she leaves him there to contemplate.

*-*

Violet bent over to pick out a frying pan from the bottom cupboard and when she popped back up with it in hand both Bucky and Steve had flour decorating their faces. 

She sighs wistfully whilst feigning a glare but the sight of them trying to conceal their own laughs has her cracking a smirk. "What am I going to do with you both huh?" The boys break into laughter, blaming each other at the same time, she's smiling fully now. She takes the cloth over her shoulder and leans over the island surface to brush the flour of Steve's face gently, that pretty red blush presents the whole time. His eyes don't fall from hers until she's finished getting it all off, ruffling his hair to drop out the last bits of flour. 

Bucky's pouting, Inova tuts and moves over to pinch Bucky's cheek, brushing off the stuff on his face too.

"I could get used to this, home cooked meal and a pretty dame rubbin' on me." Violet scoffs amusedly.

" _Oh yeah_ ," Violets voice pitches alluringly low. "sorry Barnes, I've got a thing for blondes." The room bursts into laughter but Violet’s only got eyes for Steve, his entire bulky frame has hunched in bashfully showcasing his flushed state.

Bucky’s face is thoughtful, he lights up a cigarette taking a pull from it. "I hear that."

The beef stew boils on the top burners, Violet had forgotten to turn it down with the distraction. It's not burnt just dangerously close from topping over the edge of the pots rim.

"What's the dough for?"

Violet doesn't pause in her kneading to explain to Bucky. "Roti's, they’re like a flat bread. I learnt how to make em in Morocco, over there they call them crispy pancakes.”

Bucky’s more than a little impressed. “Oo, you’ve been to Morocco eh? Fancy.”

“I’ve been everywhere- stop it you.” Bucky’s wandering hand gets slapped away after he pokes the dough, he feigns hurt but Violet’s not buying it.

When he’s finished pouting, he leans over the island into her space. "Ever been to the Grand Canyon?"

Inova had in fact been to the canyon two selective times, all had been during a wolf spree. There's a claw insignia on the rock to prove it.

"Twice, it's earnt its name."

Bucky claps Steve on the shoulder. "See pal, perfect place to visit after all this shit. Don't ya think?"

Steve shrugs. "Sure thing, Buck." Inova smirks at the conversation of better days ahead and flattens out a chunk of dough she'd split off from the rest. There's no need for a rolling pin, Inova flattens it using the heel of her hand, rotating the dough in a circle to shape it. Once the doughs up to scratch Inova puts it in the frying pan to cook.

Bucky had gone to take a piss in the bathroom after Falsworth came out with wet hair and a blissed look on his face. Steve leans in closer to watch the pancake sizzle in the pan, his brows are drawn in together. "Looks complicated." 

Inova smiles gently. "You wanna make one?"

"Sure."

The Captain stands to get off the stool and comes around the island to wash his hands at the sink before assuming his position beside Vi. She hands him a piece of dough and gets herself one so he can copy her movements.

The blonde enjoys watching the woman's hands work the dough with such fine skill, not only was she precise in fighting but something so delicate too. Steve found his intrigue stroked by discovering she's capable of pretty much anything.

His first pancake comes out misshapen enough for him to feel bad about it, but Violet does nothing but smile, she tells him she loves it and pops it in the pan to cook once the other ones done.

After that they get through the rest of the dough and pile up the roti's on a wide plate. By the time it's done the stews ready too and Vi asks the boys to put the table in the middle of the room so she can set up the extra chairs.

The chairs are stored in the corridor closet and Bucky- fresh faced and slightly pink- fetches them for her, getting the others to set up.

Vi pushes gently at Steve's side. "Go sit down, I got it."

The blonde laughs softly and shakes his head. "Don't be silly, grab the pancakes, I got this pot." Steve was a darling, through and through, Inova's chest fluttered happily when he picked the large pot up with ease and headed to the table.

Inova grabbed the cutlery and plates along with the food to bring over the table and smiles wide for the group of men gathered. "Beef and Lentil Stew served with Moroccan Roti or rather crispy pancakes."

Dummy whistles absorbing the smell in awe, Gabe licks his lips. "Oh boi, Vi you'll spoil spam for me."

Violet spoons out some of the stew into a bowl and passes it to him. "Spam was spoiled for everyone Gabe." She continues to hand out bowls everyone grabs how many pancakes they want, and she's not surprised to see their going fast. The gangs hungry and all look ready to dig in, which is why she thinks they react so badly to Steve when he says.

"Anyone gonna say grace?" They're fussing of course, so much so that Bucky bangs the table a little to get them to pipe down. Mina likes the show of dominance and Inova subtly reigns her in.

"Hey, hey! Sarah Rogers was a fuckin' angel, bless her soul. She raised Stevie and me right, so if he says we're gonna say grace, we're gonna say fuckin' grace. Go ahead pal."

"Thanks Buck." Inova takes Steve's offered hand. clasping Bucky's with her left one and examines what everyone else is doing around the table. Realistically she knows there is no god, the phantom they believe in no more than lies to gain control of the masses, but it's important to Steve so Inova sucks it up. His words are short and sweet, he's grateful for the opportunity to rest and have a hot meal.

Inova wants to say god gave him none of those things, she did. With the thought her ego takes over, she wouldn't mind being Steve's god, having him say sweet things about her, _for_ her. Offering himself to her in ways which make her gums ache.

"Amen." They all say in unison, all except Inova; no one calls her out on it.

Bucky's voice breaks the silence.

"I also would like to say cheers to my knight in shining armour, our lucky charm and all 'round favourite gal. To Violet!" The woman on topic ducks her head shyly, if she were paler the purple blush would be obvious to the human eye, as it were, she just appears bashful.

"To Violet!" Their wine glasses kink in cheers and Inova fans herself.

"Alright, alright. Let's just enjoy this now, shall we?" They all dig in with permission and Inova- much to her embarrassment- is showered in praise the longer they eat.

Inova takes a few bites before the action grates on her nerves, the wrongness of eating human meals this way sometimes bullies her into not eating at all. Her body rejects the realness knowing it's not the same as the pure food source she craves.

Steve catches her subtle gesture of pushing the plate away and narrows his eyes in worry, but he doesn't mention it out loud.

Monty sighs after swallowing a huge mouthful. "Ugh, I should just die now. Nothing is ever gonna taste this good again." Vi laughs as the boys agree around mouthfuls.

Dernier kisses the tips of his fingers, purposefully thickening his accent to announce. "Tres magnifique Violet!" They all chuckle at the man’s antics, the woman rolls her violet eyes and sighs.

"You're all flatterers."

"Anything to see you smile." Falsworth smoothly croons and she does, she smiles more than she has in weeks. 

She smiles and Bucky and Steve's hearts ache.

*-*

After dinner, with most of the gang settled into their respected sleeping areas Inova decided to stand post. Dummy, Morita and Gabe settle into the other room across from Violets, whilst Falsworth and Dernier camped out in the living room couches.

Vi had given her room to Steve and Bucky, figuring it had the nicest bed and Steve would need the comfortable rest after being injured.

Both men had tried to refuse, saying she needed to rest just as much as they did but Violet had shaken her head. 

"I'm not going to sleep anyway, it's fine. I've got watch for the night, both of you get some shut eye." With the argument finished she headed out to plan which direction she should head in to stake out a good vantage point for the night.

Bucky exits the cabin not so shortly after she's decided and has his sniper with him. "At least take Violet." He pleads, thrusting the pretty thing out to Inova.

The vamp narrows her eyes at it. "I don't do guns."

That has him huffing amusedly. "You want me to sleep or not?" The two continued this showdown before Bucky had to give in. "Fine, be careful then okay."

"Worried about me are you Barnes?"

"Naturally." Inova smirks and is about to say something snarky back but is caught off guard by Bucky's lips crashing against hers. The shock of such an action is so sudden that she gasps, the reaction widens her mouth giving Bucky the perfect opportunity to swipe his tongue inside and taste her.

Dear Edrania, her taste buds are sensitive as hell and always has been. Able to differentiate the taste of the meal, wine and Bucky's natural smokiness that makes her want to slip shut her eyes and give into the kiss completely.

She almost does, but Mina's thoughts bombard her mind then, thoughts of pleasant surprise and pleasure overpowering her own. Mina's practically purring beneath the surface, relishing in the attention.

_Mine._

Mina growls, her tone confident enough to scare Inova -who’s already backing away from Bucky- from the fucking temptation that lies in the pulse that's thundering wildly in his throat. Away from the sound of his blood rushing to places she can't even think about right now; she can smell the arousal emanating off him.

Bucky splutters bashfully, his hand flying to his plump mouth fingering the morsel there. "Gosh Vi, I'm sorry. I- I've wanted to do that for a while."

Inova feels like she's been caught with her hands in the cookie jar, feels like some monumental shift will occur in the very spot she stands if she chooses to give into her instinct and take what Mina clearly wants.

She can't let that happen. "Buck, I can't. I'm sorry I can't." The woman turns on her heel without waiting for any form of answer and leaves into the woods.

*-*

It was a little past three in the morning when Inova finally traipsed back to the cabin under the cover of the woods. After checking the perimeter as far as five miles in each direction she’d decided it was safe enough to return and watch over the boys in a closer proximity.

The entire time she’d patrolled her thoughts had revolved around the kiss with Bucky, the taste of him lingered in her mouth. Inova had denied herself the pleasure of giving in to her other nature, as being fed and returning to a house full of blood-filled humans probably wasn’t the best idea.

Now, hungry and increasingly frustrated Inova scanned the nearby perimeter one more time and headed inside to relax as much as she could for the night.

The main room was blissfully quiet, Inova slipped off her own boots and plunked them beside the boy’s pile by the door gently- so as not to wake up Falsworth and Dernier. Although she’d thought the house would be still, over the sound of Dummy’s snores and Dernier’s French sleep talking she could hear running water from the bathroom. The vampire tilted her head slightly to make out who it was, the familiar beat of Bucky’s heart warmed her cheeks, but it was the man’s breathing which alarmed her.

Over the rush of water Inova heard the hitches in his breath, the attempt to cover up little hiccupping sobs with his palm tightly over his mouth. The sounds were all too familiar to the vampire, who’d seen sights man couldn’t conjure and endured more than anyone in their right mind should.

These were the cries of a broken man. Cries Bucky shouldn’t have to release.

Forcing herself forward she focuses on not making the slightest noise to alert Bucky to her presence, only she stops herself short when remembering something. Instead of being soundless, she alters her steps to ones she knows only Steve would have been able to hear, with his enhanced hearing.

It’s not even a surprise when Bucky’s noises stop abruptly; he’s heard her.

“Steve?” His voice whispers, Inova pushes the door to the bathroom open as her suspicions are confirmed. Her eyes feast upon the sight before her, Bucky’s wrapped in a towel having just stepped out of the tub. Droplets fall down his naked chest and the longer she takes him in the tighter her expression becomes.

Inova narrowed her eyes at his chest, the storm brewing in her violet iris’s. Bucky blinks. “Oh, Vi you’re back. I didn’t hear you come in-“

“Did he do that to you.” She interrupts, and it’s not a question but an accusation. She already knows who it was, who put marks on the man’s lithe torso. Raised scars which speak of stun baton torture and other horrors Inova knew man was capable of.

Bucky’s bloodshot eyes blink nervously as he steels himself. “It was nothing I couldn’t handle.”

She- of course -doesn’t buy the whole macho charade. “Bucky. He could have _killed you._ I should have gone after him, I should have gone back into the facility and ended his life right there.”

“Vi, Zola’s gonna get what’s coming to him. I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not!” Her hiss is bone chilling and Bucky’s barely holding it together as it is, his bottom lip quivers. He avoids the woman’s piercing eyes feeling like the whole world was caving in around him. Violet isn’t ignorant to his fragile state either she invades his space and brushes gentle fingertips down the skin on his left arm. “What did he do to you?”

“Enough, he did enough,” A violent shudder passes through him when the woman’s hands land on the scars on his stomach. “Vi please.”

Her voice is a growl now, Mina’s possessiveness wrapped around her so strongly she can do nothing but give in to it. “He won’t ever hurt you again, I promise.” She said, with a tone so serious Bucky feels nothing but helpless once hearing it; he believes her every word.

“Can we just go to sleep?” The uncertainty in his voice reigns her in a bit and the vampire accepts his avoidance of the subject for now to nod.

They both creep to Violet’s room and slip into the dark space, Steve’s slumbering form lay on the queen-sized bed. It seems the earlier shot he’d taken had sucked out the last piece of energy from him. Probably for the best, he pushed himself often enough to take care of everyone and be alert, sacrificing his own health to do so.

Bucky pulls on a soft pair of pants from somewhere, not questioning why Inova has so many male articles of clothing hanging around. Inova takes a page from his book and changes from her dress into a comfortable vest. The thin material may show the shape of her breasts and pebbled nipples a little too well, but she’s never been one to shy away from being seen by others.

Plus, Bucky’s eyes roam heavily over her as she toes over to where he lies down next to Steve with a space between them. She crawls on the mattress to fill the gap with her own body and Bucky gulps, she smirks in amusement and he huffs upon seeing her expression.

“You have so many clothes and that’s what you wanna wear to bed.” The sergeant shakes his head in fond exasperation but Vi pouts at him, wiggling her hips to get comfy under the large blanket he’d kept open for her and the movement shuts him up.

“I like to be comfortable.” She reasons the same time Buck mumbles under his breath, “Or accessible.” She pretends not to hear him, closing her eyes she attempts to fall into that slumbering state humans call sleep. Only for her instincts go suddenly still when the hot body behind her slams into her back in a burst of heat, wrapping an arm around her so she’s cradled in his hold.

Violet eyes slit open in bewilderment to stare down at the muscled arm clutching her tightly against Steve.

Her breaths stop and when she peers back up Bucky’s giving her a knowing smirk.

“Not a word.” She throws the low threat back at him.

The brunette shrugs clutching the blanket tighter as his voice gets deeper the further, he falls into sleep. “Meh, Steve’s always been a cuddler.” Inova raises her brow in pleasant awe at the easiness of Bucky’s statement, but she says nothing, he’s already drifted off.

Steve’s warm everywhere it turns out, a fact Inova had inwardly wondered about but never known until this moment. Puffs of minty breath flutter against the back of her ears when the blondes chin nuzzles its way into the crook of her neck; she’s never fought harder to be still then she had in this moment. She’s usually so indifferent about proximity to her person but being here sandwiched between these two idiots soon has her body loose enough to fall into slumber.

*-*

There’s a warm throbbing pulse nestled on her tongue, she can feel the small vibrations tingling her fangs and goes feral with no hesitation, the taste of blood explodes across her taste buds and the predator in her rumbles in satisfaction. She nuzzles into the feeling harder, enjoying the simple sensation of slipping away into her instinct.

An amused voice slips into her ears. “Do you think she knows she’s doing that?”

“No.” Another voice grunts and Inova doesn’t understand how her meal’s still able to formulate words when she’s feeding so vigorously off them.

A soft hum, then the first voice speaks again. “What’s it feel like?”

“Buck.” Second voice chastises and Inova remembers that’s the name of the first voice.

“Hey, it’s your arm pal, not mine.”

Inova sucks harder to make the voices stop. “Shit!” Steve hisses and Inova finally wakes the fuck up, Bucky’s silver eyes beam back at her when she snaps her own open. It’s the laughter in his expression which makes her glance down to the _‘meal’_ what she finds is her mouth slobbering all over what happens to be Steve’s wrist.

Sobered up completely she takes in the state of their positioning. Not only had she claimed Steve’s arm as her own, but her leg was thrown obnoxiously tight over Bucky’s thigh drawing him in close to her centre. The shock of the feeling has her eyes shooting upward to Bucky’s face, he’s still smirking down at her with his cocky relaxed self, despite the compromising condition they’d been caught in. The air in the room changes, the stifling air alters to molten lava when Buck filthily grinds his hips forth into her. His actions jolt her back into Steve’s own groin and the Captains moan vibrates through her ear and sends waves of pleasure down her spine.

Holy fuck.

Inova waits with bated breath for one of them to say something, being a coward, she knows she won’t be the first. Bucky’s eyes have been swallowed up by black and his gaze alternates from hers to Steve’s, he’s giving the blonde a quirked brow as if they were having a silent conversation over her shoulder. Inova cranes her neck round to gage Steve’s reaction, he stares down at her with an intensity that clamps her throat up. Bucky slides in closer to fill the space between his body and Inova’s and the vampire could hardly breathe the tension was so thick.

Is this fucking happening?

Bucky’s searching look is now focused on Inova’s face, his eyes rove hungrily over her spit slick lips and blown pupils. “Yeah?” His husky voice questions, a grind to her heat following it up and Inova very nearly drops her fangs then and there. It’s years of experience controlling herself that has her releasing a moan instead of giving into her aching gums need to relieve the pressure.

Steve’s head drops down onto her shoulder, his voice a low shaky rumble. “Fuck.”

They’re all startled when a thumping knock comes from the door.

The rest of the house is clearly awake as Monty calls out. “You all up, we’re heading out in fifteen. Gabe got contact with Phillips!”

Bucky’s the only one with a mind clear enough to quip toward the door. “You got it Fresno, give us a beat will ya!” Then he whispers into the space quitter, regret lacing his words. “Guess the lazy mornings over huh.”

Steve’s the first to separate himself from the tangled position, he shoots up like a bullet and heads over to the bathroom, fumbling with the doorknob on his way out. Inova wants to bite her fist and scream with how awkward this was going to be now.

*-*

The day they'd spent at the cabin becomes a fond memory for all of them after they head back into the fray of war. The night on the porch is never talked about again between the two involved, nor the morning in the bed with all three of them.

As time went on Inova of course had tried to be inconspicuous about her abilities, even more so with her thirst taking control at odd intervals, but there were still occasions where she'd just-

Snap.

"Will you stop fretting so bloody much, I'm fine!" 

"Jeez Louise alright, what's crawled up your ass!?" Barnes grins up at her from where he's sat on a tree stump, his obvious delight is an indication that he wasn't at all insulted with her yelling but rather quite the opposite.

Inova hesitates when faced with that grin, squinting at him patiently she decided engaging in flirting wouldn't be the best thing to do and sulks off. The hybrid can hear the jugular in his throat, the way it hums as he speaks and can practically feel Mina's want in her vibrating beneath the surface.

She doesn't stop walking away until she comes across this little riverbed, the water looks less than desirable but at this moment in time the blood clinging to her is making that unbearable itch worse.

She strips down to her skivvies and dives in the icy water, it being just what she needed. When she emerges it’s to the sight of Steve staring sheepishly right back at her. There's that adorable blush adorning his cheeks again and Inova thinks back to a smaller Steve, the scene familiar except for the fact that it's not quite. This Steve has his tactical uniform half strewn around his hips with the sleeves tied on the waist.

Inova smirks, "You know, I didn't expect this to become a habit of ours. Yet it seems you have a radar for spotting me at my best captain." She didn't think it quite possible, but his blush grew deeper.

Steve splutters to find his next words. "Violet I didn't know you'd be here, I thought you were still at camp."

"I needed a moment." Inova shrugs as she tilts back enough in the water to float on her back. Steve hurriedly looks any other direction than her own a sweet gesture Inova doesn't miss, it makes her smile. Watching him makes her chest ache more than usual, with the last rays of sun playing with the gold strands of his hair. The blue of his eye’s pops in the sunlight as he squints right at it and-

Oh dear.

Inova drags her eyes away from the sight and forces herself to continue this interaction as if nothing’s changed, as if she hadn't just come to a painful realisation.

Steve's sat down now on the snowy ground. His arms subtly shift to conceal his chest almost as if he's embarrassed at the possibility of being seen. Inova decides to dispel the nervous energy in the air by engaging him in questions. "So, if the intel is good Zola should be boarding his train in less than 14 hours. You ready to get him?" At the question, Steve nods confidently.

"He's an asset we can't afford to let Schmidt exploit, when we get him it might as well be over for the Nazi bastard." Inova huffs out a laugh as she swims to shore, dragging herself up out of the cold water. The sight brings a closed lip smile to the soldier’s own face, one he just can't help. He's seen Bucky flirt countless of times before and decides leaning in close to the woman once she's plunked herself down next to him would be mirroring his best friend’s technique well. "Am I still a terrible soldier? Or do you think I'm getting pretty good at it?" 

Inova is admittedly quite lost for words, was the super soldier flirting with her?

For a while she says nothing, just watches flabbergasted at the shit eating grin plastered onto that perfect face. It's only when she realises, she must look like an idiot that she throws up a façade and smirks back at him.

"You're perfect... apparently." His grin gets even wider in reaction and that blush never fades as they just take each other in. Their breath mingles together, the fog dissipating in the air, there's a tension here that excites Inova more than anything before. If she wanted, she could very simply lean in and take what she wants.

"Cap we need- oh sorry I didn't mean to interrupt." Falsworth emerges from the trees behind both unsuspecting people and Inova pulls hurriedly back. She throws on her cocky bravado as she starts to stand.

"You didn't interrupt anything." Falsworth- being a rather smart man -takes in the half naked states of both his captain and the agent and nods unconvinced.

"Righttt, Captain we should be heading out to the drop of point now. If we're to get to Zola in time." Steve nods in acknowledgement and the British man returns it, lips cocked in a smirk at Inova before retreating to camp.

Inova holds back an eyeroll at the thought of the camp gossip she'll have to face after this and leaves Steve to go collect her clothes.

No way in hell was she going into another battle with a dirty uniform.

*-* 

They left camp to trek further up into the mountainous terrain, Steve and Bucky hung back behind the other troops as per Buck's request. The two best friends had watched Nova climb easily up a steep cliff edge a few minutes before and haven't seen her since.

Both found themselves not worrying, she'd often scout ahead of the group and would be back soon enough.

Bucky popped his mouth, then blew a raspberry or two, Steve watched him from the corner of his eye, not yet willing to say anything to him yet, to be the first to crack. That was until his pal sighed heavily, then Steve cocked a brow and frowned.

"What, what is it?" Buck pretended not to understand what Steve meant, he gave the blonde a shrug.

"Nothin’." Steve- who knew Bucky like the back of his hand- wasn't convinced.

"Come on pal, spit it out." 

That seemed to be the right thing to say, with the permission Bucky smirked. "So, you and Vi. That a thing?" The blush that erupts out on Steve's cheeks clues Bucky in.

"W-what're you talkin about?" Bucky's signature smirk grows.

"Oh, nothing pal, absolutely nothing..." The brunette cranes his head, his grey eyes full of amusement as they fall on Steve. "Well actually Monty said he saw you two by the lake looking real cosy." Steve's instinct of course is to deny.

"We were not getting cosy, we were talking. Is it illegal to talk to a dame these days!" His defensive tone hushed some when some of the other commandoes turn to see what the commotion is about.

Bucky scoffs not convinced. "Vi ain't no ordinary dame i'll tell you that Steve, just making sure I know where your heads at." Steve's curiosity gets the better of him the further they make it up the mountain.

"What about you two?" The blonde thinks back to all the touches Violet and Buck seem to share effortlessly and feels his jealousy spike just a tad.

"What about us?"

"You're not... together?" Steve asks unsure and Bucky breaks out laughing.

"She saved my hide pal and trust me I'm very grateful, enough that she could have sunshine flying out her ass and I'd probably still like her a lot. However, I ain't gonna get in-between my pal and his first crush. I would think you'd know me well enough to know when I'm just being friendly."

Steve again wants to deny. "I do not have a -"

Bucky cuts him off with a hand. "Don't even bother telling me you're not crushing on her pal. You may be taller than me now, but I still know you better than you know yourself. Plus… we did almost both fuck her." The Captain’s blush is full on now, he shakes his head and throws a little bit of snow at Bucky's face.

His pal splutters, wiping the coolness off him. "Punk!"

"Jerk." The two engage in a childish snow fight, pushing heaps onto each other one by one until a sharp whistle pierces through the air and they look up.

Inova's not too far up, crouched atop a tree on higher ground, she's glaring down at the two of them.

"If you two are done behaving like little boys, I've found a shortcut up ahead. Anytime you want to get back to work just let us know." Falsworth giggles along with Dum Dum, only to have two snowballs thrown at them synchronised by Steve and Bucky.

What ensues the action is some rather choice words from the boys and Inova stops herself from tutting.

"Children, you're all children."

*-*

The Howling commandoes, their Captain and Inova had successfully made it to the right drop zone. Inova was perched in an oak tree awaiting the arrival of the evil scientist’s train and when she spotted its fast approach round the bend, she whistled to the men below.

They gathered their wits as she began her decent down. Swinging from one branch to another she grunts softly when her boots hit the snowy ground "You boys sure you're ready for this?"

Bucky replies, his tone cocky and sure and Inova begins to listen but stops at the sound echoing somewhere behind her. Spinning round she's sure it's one of the men but realises it's not. The sound is hypnotic, as much as it is grating and she's clearly the only one who can hear it.

It's the sound on the wind which pulls her away from the team, away from the mission.

There's a clearing past the trees surrounding the area, in the middle is the object making the sound. Inova nears it without a drop of hesitance, crouching down when she's close enough. There's this small box, emanating the melodic sound and for the first time Inova wonders who else is on this mountain with them.

Mina who'd been oddly reserved these past few weeks suddenly speaks, taking Inova by surprise. _"Dog whistle sound."_ Is all that she says but the phrase is all Inova needs to realise.

Wolves aren't native in these parts so why would this be here.

The thought doesn't carry too far into fruition as a pain prickles through her neck, throwing her hand up to the spot the hybrids hands attach themselves onto a dart. The vial on it has been emptied, there's a toxin spreading through her system and Inova can't help but laugh.

She raises the dart up to the air, "Really? You thought you could drug me?" The laugh intensifies. "Fucking fools." A sharp pain hits her thigh this time and she stares down at yet another dart, laughing the whole time. Soon there are darts flying from all directions, the onslaught gets funnier and funnier until Inova realises that she's slowly starting to lose her footing. Her eyelids suddenly feel awfully heavily, and it's only now occurred to her that the ability to move her limbs has left her knowledge. "Well fuck." Are her final thoughts, which she says aloud before she collapses into the snow.

With her last bit of consciousness Inova feels herself being flipped over, her eyes form slits and with a heavy tongue she manages to slur out. "Erskine?" Whoever is above her silences the vamp with a heavy hand over her mouth before injecting her with anoher fucking needle.

"Rest now wolf." Inova does.

*-*

There's a tapping not far from her face, it sounds like water droplets. Inova tries to heighten her hearing in on the sound but something is wrong.

"Mina?" She whispers and the sound bounces back to her.

Mina does not reply.

With shaking hands Inova raises herself off the cold ground. Her mind is clouded with the drugs in her system, but she can just feel it wearing off, enough for her to stand up and calculate her surroundings. There's a metallic fence ahead of her, it encloses her around the space and stupidly decides to reach out and touch.

"Ahh!" A violent spark of energy sparks up her arms, torching her viens in a level so painful she withdraws. From her splayed position on the floor from where she was knocked back Inova raises her arm into the light and watches a blue glow materialise beneath her skin. The strange light wraps around her viens but disappears minutely. "What the hell?"

"Beautiful isn't it?" The vamp’s eyes shoot up, locking eyes with one Johan Schmidt beyond the cage. This is the man unmasked, beneath the horror lies simply the true monster.

His face is as crimson as blood, those pearly whites a startling contrast. Inova knew that if she were a lesser human the sight may have petrified her for life, however in her case she'd seen enough to make her tolerance awfully high.

Going for nonchalance the vamp shrugged. "Depends on what _it_ is." At this the man grinned, approaching the cage with dazzled eyes.

"I refer simply to ze energy field surrounding zis little invention of mine, quite impenetrable even to someone with your capabilities." He stood as close to the thing as he could get and Inova with no fear mirrored his position.

There was a mutual silence before she spoke up again. "You know me, How?" This is what gets the man to laugh, a harsh barking sound which grated on the hybrid’s eardrums unsettlingly. It isn't a well-known thing, he shouldn't know her unless she made a mistake, clearly along the line she had made a grave mistake.

"Ze remarkable thing about you Miss Violet was your compassion for the lesser being, and your infatuation with my equal." He was talking about Steve.

Inova bared her teeth at the mention, "If you've hurt him. I promise you’ll find out exactly how _remarkable_ I can be." Again, that laugh resonates through the air, Inova backs away surveying the containment for any kind of exit.

There of course was none.

Yet the man continues to talk undeterred. "Zer is a fire in you, I can see now why ze Captain keeps you around." To ignore him, Inova turns her back on him but he isn't finished. "I imagine now with the death of his friend. Your absence will hit him more than ever." That makes her ears perk up and a sudden chill pauses her movements.

"What did you say?"

"His friend Miss violet-" She snaps her fist against the cage, ignores the painful pulses riding along her nerves. 

Her voice is venomous when she speaks again. "Liar!"

"I am many things Miss, but a liar is not one of them." If his admission wasn't bad enough the reality of it sure is. Poor Steve abandoned by herself and unable to save his best friend he must be torn in two. She mourns silently for Barnes as Schmidt eyes her with interest.

His red features contort, "Do my words appeal to your humanity, or is it your compassion for the Captain which saddens you so?"

"You know nothing about me." White teeth grin at her, he steps closer to the danger of the cage.

"This is where you are wrong _Inova_ , I know everything about you." With obvious shock painted on her features it comes as a surprise when another painful dart is shot into her neck. Making Inova's world deteriorate into nothing but darkness once again.

*-*

Steve mourns, not only for his best friend -for the only person who'd stuck by his side through the bad and the ugly, for his brother- but for Violet as well.

The woman hadn't returned after Bucky had fallen, after the mission had been deemed a success at the price of something too high. The Colonel hadn't heard from her, Peggy nor Howard either and Steve was fearing the worst.

He sits, head downcast, unfocused on anything but the mantra of ending the filthy HYDRA bastards, even if it's the last thing he does playing on repeat in his mind.

The war rooms in London are gloomy, beige lighting doing nothing to brighten the mood and for that Steve is glad.

He isn't here for fun and games, that very inclination had died along with Bucky.

The Colonel now is drowning on about the locations of HYDRA bases that've already been destroyed, the commandoes offering insight to the last remaining one.

Peggy and Howards rushing footsteps and some random soldiers protesting voices gives everyone else pause.

"Get off of me Soldier- Colonel, we've got something you're probably going to want to see." Steve glances up at the sound of Peggy's voice, her brown doe eyes dart over to his; he sees no pity in that look and bids the soldiers off the two. Knowing they'd obey the Captain.

Colonel Phillips takes the reel from Peggy and barks for someone to get him something to watch it on.

"No need Colonel, got you all sorted right here." Howards already wheeled in a projector and wipes the whiteboard clean to make the footage easily watchable. When the image comes to life, full black and white picture meeting everyone's eyes, Steve's jaw clenches along with his fists. 

"Captain," The German bastard taunts. "I believe you left something in the snow." The Red Skull stands tall beside an unconscious Inova, whose strapped down into some chair, theirs wires protruding from its back and arms and Steve's jaw is clenched so hard he's sure his teeth would crack. The woman’s usual bomber jacket is gone and she’s sweating through the thin black vest but she’s ok, for now.

"Oh, that Nazi sonuvabitch!" Dugan growls out and whacks the table, Steve agrees but can't speak, the Skull is saying more.

"You and your friends have cost me a lot of resources these past months Captain, I imagine you know how many in total. Seven bases you've cost me. For you this means nothing, or rather it meant nothing. I wonder if your precious Violet would appreciate the seven shocks, I have in store for her." With that the man pushes down a lever off to the side, the effect is immediate. 

Violet jolts up as a hit of electricity fires into her system, her unruly curls undone from her usual ponytail pools over her face as she grits her teeth to handle the pain.

When he switches the lever off again, she rasps ragged breaths, her head hitting the back of the chair so hard the thing becomes dented 

"Kraut fucker." Inova spits on the man’s boots.

Dummy nods back in the war board room. "That's my girl!"

"Dugan pack it in!" Steve snaps, on the edge of his seat, waiting for the next something, anything to happen. Schmidt smacks Inova across the face for her efforts, the woman's face turns from the force of it. When her face twists back it's with a smile, there's blood in her teeth.

"If Zola was still here, I'd have him run tests on her. However, it looks like I'll have to conduct them on my own." Steve's grip dents the table. "Oh yes Captain, she will last much longer than you're Sargent friend." Inova lashes out, her nails scratching the wooden chair as she tries to escape the chains hold and lunge at the red asshole. The table down Steve's end snaps audibly, the commandoes are conflicted between watching him and watching her.

The woman is spitting out threats in French.

Denier's, Steve’s and Gabe's eyes widen the longer she goes on. "What's she saying?" Phillips orders. "What is it?" 

Gabe translates live. "Uh, you won't have ears either when I'm done with you. Y- you'll watch your work burn in front of your very eyes. I'll peel off your eyelids to ensure this. Then you can watch as I step across their ashes to rip off your red flesh with my teeth-!" Her threats end in a grunt as Schmidt ups the ante, the machine whirls to life and shocks the woman on a higher level than before. Violet lurches back into the seat but doesn't take her eyes of the idiot. 

“Go on Liebling, show them who you really are.”

Violet remains stubborn, even as Schmidt slowly accelerates the power to high intensities any normal person could not possibly withstand.

Howard nibbles at the skin on his right thumb and drags his other hand through greasy hair.

When the machine stops the violet eyes, woman takes a moment to catch her breath before smirking again. "That the best you got?" Steve's overcome with unbearable pride, knowing he would've done the same thing. The red-faced horror grins, his hand turning the dial until it reaches the highest level, level seven. Violet's face hardens as she struggles to withhold a scream, her grunts are released into the air which only worsen into a long belly groan when the charges burn through her.

Howard pipes up, nerves in his voice. "We don't have to watch the rest."

Steve barks. "Leave it!"

Violets black and white visage tightens and finally she shouts through a scream. "I'll kill you for what you did to him, I'm going to fucking end you all. It won't matter how long it takes, HYDRA burns." Then she faces the camera directly and speaks in French as clear as she can manage.

Gabe translates once again. "Dernier you tell him not to do anything stupid alright, you tell him."

Second after her eyes roll in the back of her head and the woman faints. Schmidt keeps the charges up for a little before turning them off and gesturing back and forth between the camera and her.

"This is my move Captain. I wonder what yours will be." The footage cuts and Steve seethes, knowing now what he must do.

*-*

Mina takes over for the next few days, or however long their stuck in the twisted trap, she's tried just about method of escape she can think of with Schmidt no longer in the room. She fails of course because the drug in their system means not being one hundred percent which means limited strength.

Even with her coherence Mina still can't manage any thought past 'he dies for what he did' a mantra on constant repeat.

The wolf is imagining just how good the red bastard’s skull would look stabbed onto a pike when the ground shakes beneath her feet. Gunshots ring out through the facility she's being held in and several Hydra agents who bustled in the place ran into a door passing her before exiting out again towards the sounds.

"Hey! What's happening?" She yells at the men over more gunshots, louder this time followed by screams distinctly German. The agents who had passed through rush back in retreat but are all shot down before they get too far.

It's the Americans!

"Gotcha you Nazi bastards!" _Maybe there are gods out there_. Mina thinks as none other than DumDum Dugan spins around towards her location, his bowler hat slightly askew on his head.

"Violet?"

"Dummy, you gotta let me out." Following on straight behind him are the other commandos, all loaded with weapons. Dummy tries to find a key or switch. "There's a control panel, try pushing buttons until you find the right one." He gets to work doing just that and Mina steps them back from the cage edge as he works.

Dernier speaks to her in French. "What did he do to you?"

"Enough for me to kill him!" In the next breath she informs the commandos she heard about Bucky's death.

"He died with honour." Mina is so over the war faith bullshit. She makes sure to portray that when she growls at the French man’s sentiment.

"Yeah and what use was that so-called honour when he needed it huh? Only thing it got him was dead apparently, god knows why I bothered trying to play soldier- would you please get me out of this fucking cage!" 

DumDum ever the cocky one shouts right back, "Alright, alright I think I got it now!" With a massive pull of some lever the force surrounding the metal drops, an audible whoosh further confirming its disappearance.

The commandoes stare it down, until Morita points out that the metal containment still stands. Mina decides not to give a shit about the rulebook for another second and rips the steel door right off its frame. She throws the thing away to the side as if it's nothing and watches the men's clear gaping as she swipes the curls away from her face.

After the brief pause Morita speaks again. "This place is crawling with HYDRA bastards Vi, unless you got more tricks like that, I don't think we're gonna make it."

Mina raises a brow and only now remembers who’s missing. "Where's Steve?"

"He's going after Schmidt. Peggy and the Colonel are with him." Mina's frown deepens as Inova's panic broadcasts over their connection, for that reason she is unapologetic when she grabs Morita's arm and pulls his face closer to hers.

"Fresno! Where?"

"The hangar!" She heads off with no further word, Falsworth's English drawl yells after her.

"There's a bunch of men with guns out there, and you're unarmed!" The wolf doesn't stop running.

"Follow on, give me a wide berth, trust me!" In the next breath Mina allows the change to come over her, a wolf howl ringing across the entire building. The howlies who follow her instruction are left blinking at each other with bewilderment fresh in their eyes.

It's Gabe who speaks out eventually reloading his clip and trying to figure out if he is indeed dead or not. "I wasn't the only one who saw that right?" The questions rhetoric that much is obvious but Falsworth adds his two pence.

"Let's hope not, otherwise shellshock has occurred much sooner than I thought."

Mina was fucking volatile. That shit didn't get any easier no matter how many shifts she'd been forced into by Inova. The sensation always left her unbalanced, ashamed, angry. So, fucking angry all the time. Being told what to do and never truly having any freedom to be herself.

In the end Inova takes over once the dirty work is done, just like she always does.

Steve is indeed in a hangar.

"Steve!"

"Violet! Thank god." He envelops her into a tight hug, he's staring at her as if she weren't even real and Inova feels her heart clench because deep down she knows what she must do, has known for quite a while. "Steven I-" Shots ring out, Steve grabs her close to him in order to use the shield to cover them both and drags them into a doorway avoiding the spray of bullets.

He's alert and Inova's chest does another motion when his attention turns downward, they lock eyes and she's certain she'll hate herself for this, but it needs to be done.

"Steve." His name slips out mournfully, her features suddenly sad and he for the life of him cannot understand. She doesn't need him to however, just reaches forward on her tiptoes to plant a kiss onto the man’s mouth. He's frozen at the sweet yet passionate gesture, his other hand a brand on her waist as he holds on.

When she pulls away, Steve watches stunned but her eyes remain closed. "Nova?" Comes his confused whisper but he's cut short when her eyes flicker open, the violet in her iris has overtaken the entirety of the eye. The very impossibility of it gives him pause, as he's suddenly enraptured. His breathing stops focus completely taken over with the two gleaming pools of violet.

Inova's got soft tears streaming over her cheeks. "Forget me." The words are the equivalent to that of a whisper on the wind, a forgotten memory suddenly memorized only to be forgotten again. Meaningless in their simplicity yet meaningful in their entirety.

In the next seconds, Steve blinks.

He's staring into an empty space for a reason he does not know. He blinks harshly as if the thought would come back to him but fails to find a reason for his time lapse.

"Steve!" It's Peggy's voice which snaps him out of his daze.

"You're late." He remarks and the woman stares up at him.

"Weren't you about to-?" She trials off in suggestion and he nods.

"Right." They had a threat to deal with. 

*-*

This was it, the day Inova failed.

She was supposed to look out for him but in the end, she couldn't even do that right.

"I gotta put her in the water!" Peggy was at the communication mic whilst Steve's voice fuzzed through the speakers. The hybrids abilities allowed her to hear the faint crackles of his heartbeat, it beat rapidly in fear against his ribcage.

Inova could hear it.

She blocked out the talking and just listened to the thumps.

All too soon they just stopped, replaced with static.

"Steve- Steve?" Peggy's voice was broken. "Steve?"

All at once a series of emotions hit Inova like a tidal wave. First sadness, anger than empathy and failure. I promised Erskine I'd look after him and now.

Now...

Letting anger take over the vamp punched a dent right into the wall. Philips beside her kept his reaction contained, barely batted an eye when she pulled her fist from the steel and cracked her knuckles. She avoided eye contact with him nonetheless, the base still stood. It wouldn't for much longer.

"Get yourself and the men out of here." The Colonel tries to argue but Inova's having none of it. "Leave now!"

The woman doesn't leave not one HYDRA Nazi alive. They never stood a chance.

When it's all over, when the base is blown to kingdom come just as the vampire had promised, she trudges outside covered in blood and ash with her eyes full of haunted thoughts and stops in front of Phillips.

"I'm out." Inova's voice is cracked, coarse.

The man nods. "I know." His confirmation allows her some sick kind of permission. She turns to the commandoes then. Peggy standing alongside them and knows she should erase their memories too. They'd seen her, knew what she was, if this was years ago, they would have died for it.

Dummy places a hand on her shoulder and nods, his face free of any disgust or judgement. "You'll always be our favourite gal, you hear me." 

She can't even nod, the voice of Bucky echoes the words in her mind, and it takes everything she has not to cry.

The others agree and Falsworth smiles. "You can go wolfy, it's okay." Inova can't muster up the energy to speak, so smiles as brightly as she can manage and walks away, past soldiers who gawk at her in awe, thinking how a dame could achieve such feats.

Unaware that Inova has lost everything, she turns of her emotions and plunges into solitude.


	6. A New Era

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inova emerged into a room full of S.H.I.E.L.D agents with guns trained all in her direction, the threat although futile bugged her as did the intent behind it.
> 
> One of the men gets testy and without missing a beat the hybrid grabs at him expertly disarming him of his assault rifle and aimed the weapon at Fury before anyone could bat their eyes.
> 
> The entire room reacted rather negatively to this, agents coming to a full stop to watch the barely clothed woman pointing a gun at their boss. Inova keeps her face neutral, "Be a good boy and tell them to disarm their weapons Nick." Her finger slides onto the trigger, the gun aimed a little higher on the directors’ frame; straight at his head. "Or I disarm you." To her credit she had hid her bluff behind the poker face well.
> 
> "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Upon hearing the interruption, she turns to point the gun on the man who dared to tell her what she would or wouldn't do.

Inova eventually resettled in Antarctica.

Yes Antarctica, that freezing cold wasteland.

Long ago if she had a choice this wouldn't have been the case. After years of pain (both self-inflicted and not) however, Inova had come to realize being isolated and away from everyone was the only way to ensure the monster in her could be free without hurting anyone.

She was in the middle of her morning hunting regime- seals and penguins were efficient prey for dinner- when her ears crane back towards her rear at the sound of a high-pitched whistle. At first confusion wracked her thoughts at the noise which only seemed to be affecting her and none of the other animals.

Inova growled lowly, every part of her instinct was telling her to flee.

Yet the overwhelming nag of curiosity had grounded her. Like a weight on her shoulders which just wouldn't lighten, no matter how many times you tried to get it off. The ringing only grew louder, the persistent thing enhanced and tightened its frequency sporadically; completely throwing the vamp off its origin. As it grew in power her reaction toward it became harsher.

Inova needed peace.

It kept the beast at bay, kept the beast tamed.

Without peace, chaos would soon ensue.

It had to be humans, there was no other logical explanation. Inova had to run, immediately heading toward the high peaked ice caves. Her head swam lazily as she pushed the fatigued body to its limits, her wolf had been deprived a meal and it wasn't helping matters. The air bit harshly against the contrasting warm fur coat, snow particles bit into covered flesh annoyingly as she realised that the noise had now become as loud as a roar. Gears turning and energy waves from a machine overpowered her awakening senses, the predator had come alive at the first smell of the tender substance it truly craved.

It was too late; the humans had found her.

The monster threatened to resurface at the sight of an anonymous craft hovering overhead and just like any other beast being hunted she growled in warning, the mighty waves sending vibrations through the air. Snow had parted dramatically in an almost poetic illustration reading, beware! beware! until inevitably fleeing to the safety of numbers, settling down into their chalk white nest.

She continued this dance, alternating between roaring and breathing heavily still fighting to maintain control; hoping it was not yet too late to find peace in all the action.

"Inova... It's time to come back in!" His voice was a mighty roar in the wind which struck the woman to her core. The pure command in his tone made wolf claws bury harshly into the stone-cold ground.

Her control was waning.

Her breaths were being pulled in by a deeper, darker force. Only to be released in a secret plead by Inova herself.

He was declared a dead man, then none other than Mina herself.

The machines land, the guns load, the humans run and the monster she waits.

It was over, the peace had gone. Along with any control Inova held over her own demon. The slow men trudge through the rough snow, gaining speed as they grow accustomed to the downpour. The wolf is their target and it kills her, but the monster has set her own.

She cannot be stopped.

"Target acquired sir, firing formula now!" Big ears pick up the faint voice over the noise and her anger grew inside of Inova like a house erupting into flames. Unexpectedly a harsh howl erupted from the wolf throat as they charged toward the threats. Man was not meant for such weather and they used that to their advantage. Their coat kept them hidden amongst the weather, almost undetectable.

"Where is she!" They were shadows amongst the light, creeping and killing on sight without mercy.

A man had made their position eventually and foolishly fired. Those shots were his mistake, as it appeared Fury wasn't going to yield until he had caught her; no matter the casualties.

"Bring her in." His tone was calm, but the demand was no less threatening. All at once the peace had been corrupted and an ambush was underway. Each attempt at escape only earned them a sharp shot. Their weapons punctured her coat and drew pain directly to the nerves. Their only reaction was to yelp as the injection’s effects took place.

The Hunter had become the hunted and Inova's legs gave out from beneath her. Still the sharp pricks rained down upon the wolf mercilessly. Her system was shutting down and she suppressed down the urge to growl in pain. The humans did not deserve to revel in such weakness.

Sleeps deep pull had taken her into its own reality eventually.

Bringing her a sharp end to the pain ebbing her closer and closer to unconsciousness. Mina had reached her chamber, deep inside their bond and surrounded herself within a scorching ball of anger.

Darkness enveloped her and the peace restored as her eyes slid shut.

*-*

Director Fury was furious after Loki infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D, which wasn't a surprise to Coulson really.

The man- in the agent’s experience -was always furious.

Unlike every other time however, Coulson knew something was different. The one-eyed man seemed more desperate, more on edge. He began constantly raiding private S.H.I.E.L.D files. Searching for something neither Coulson nor any other agent could understand. The more he tried to figure out the answers the more complicated and twisted the questions became. Until the S.H.I.E.L.D agent finally realised that whatever Fury had planned was bigger, maybe even riskier than just phase 2 alone.

One day whilst Coulson was working on the updated version of the AVENGERS INITIATIVE. The Director approached him. Told him he needed a fully equipped combat team to be ready for an operation to Antarctica in a single hour.

"Sir this Is well above my clearance level I'm not permitted to-" Fury rolled his eye before looking down at him.

"Agent I'm the director of S.H.I.E.L.D if I want you to assist on this operation you're coming to assist, along with that team. Now hurry up, if we're gonna catch my beast I need this team to prepare for protocol DeltaBite." His voice was firm and commanding and if it weren't for the stern set of his eyebrows, Coulson wouldn't have believed him.

"Sir that protocol is practically non-existent, it hasn't been needed since the 90's and even then, the damage reports were indescribable." The director frowned heavily and stood from his position sat behind the agent’s desk. His eye bore into the younger mans as he sighed with this indescribable fatigue.

The rare sight of his boss this way caught him completely off guard.

"Coulson I'm going to be one hundred percent honest with you, what Loki is planning is unknown to me. Whatever twisted plan that sick son of a bitch has up his sleeve is unpredictable. So as a director I can only prepare for the worst, " He wiped his tired eyes and stood close to the window, gazing longingly at the clouds the carrier was nestled within. "I don't know a better way to prepare for the worst, then by obtaining the worst." The words caused Phil to tense up; whatever Fury was implying couldn't be good.

Yet, Phil was and would remain a loyal man.

It would undoubtedly be his undoing.

"I'll get the squad ready sir." His orders were clear, Coulson just prayed to God that Fury knew what the hell he was getting them into.

*-*

One of the jets lowered the ramp as it landed on the snowy plains, while the machine the agents and Fury were in hovered just above the surface of Antarctica. Dressed from head to toe in warm materials caused more weight to be added to their bodies; it made the fear less prominent, but it didn't make it disappear.

Why was Coulson so afraid?

Well that's simple to answer, Fury had given him a file before he left to set up the details for the operation. His action surprised Phil once more and it took him a while to gain the courage to look inside. When he did, it was like being exposed to a nightmare.

Pictures of a woman covered in blood bombarded his sight. Her body was torn and mutilated to such a horrific extent that Phil's own body fought back the bile rising in his throat.

The handwritten reports were messy and rushed, clearly a scientist writing. Its erratic style could only signify the depth of how exciting the subject was to him. Coulson remembers reading the inhumane scientific phrases.

_'Subject maintains healing properties and has survived multiple death procedures.'_

_'Skin heals faster than overall organs. When tearing out the subject’s heart it had been recorded to stop beating within the first hour. After said hour the subject’s body would start to manufacture its own heart organ which took a total of 3-5 hours.'_

The writing was horrifically followed by photos taken- around the time - of the woman named Inova. Her cheeks were hollowed and in the pictures of her awake she was bloodied and portrayed mostly screaming. The indecency of her situation was sickening, she was treated like an animal and no one even gave her the right of clothing. Phil thought it was over, that he had seen the worst of it but then a hard drive popped out of the folder and he frowned.

Not knowing if he could cope with such knowledge Phil hesitated. Any human would, it was wrong. The whole thing, and yet a part of him yearned to see it for himself. Apprehensively he plugged in the device and played the media file.

_"Subject DeltaBite has been starved for approximately 7 weeks, the containment cage is becoming easier to transport due to her weakening form." The man talking was French, his tidy and clean appearance contradicted mockingly to the shaking girl in the corner of her prison._

_"I am now going to evoke the change to see how hunger affects the Wolf.'" The woman had croaked out some words, which sounded like no! Phil couldn't imagine the kind of pain she was in, she looked so desperate. Pleading as she lay in her own blood, clearly looking at the man for mercy._

_"Please...no more." The heartless man smiled, smiled at her reaction._

_"Good girl." Then with the pull of a lever, electricity was sparked through the cage and Inova cried out in torturous pain. The sounds like a broken plea to the man who laughed in her face. Her back arched and Phil watched in silent horror as her breathing deepened the higher the shocks went._

_The sickening sounds of bones crunching, and twisting were almost, harmonious with her growls and whines. Before Phil's very eyes the girl’s spine had fractured and bent into place, fur had ambushed her body as her feet and hands turned to claws and paws. Her jaw snapped and grew, the blunt teeth morphing into daggers, nose forming into a snout. The newly emerged beast howled, its head tipped back in agony as the sound vibrated within the recording._

_"The beast has awoken!" The evil scientist crackled. Then he cranked the lever to the harshest level and watched as it bashed its head and body against the cage._

Coulson had had enough.

*-*

Even now as he stood inside the jet ordering the agents to load their weapons with tranquillisers instead of bullets, he worried about the operations motives.

"Sir I have my sights on movement in the West." Coulson nodded toward the young agent and ordered the strike agents to head toward the location. They flew to the beast and when Fury told the jet to come to a halt it did as instructed.

"We got her." Fury could barely contain his smile as Agent Rumlow informed him of the development.

"Send in the troops, then tell the agents to get the cage ready and set it to stun. Those tranqs aren't gonna hold her for long, but they buy us some serious hours if you shoot it a lot." Phil shivered knowingly at the Directors order. Then a growl with heavy undertones sounded and Coulson knew she had spotted them.

Fury ran to the cockpit and turned on the loudspeaker.

"Inova... It's time to come back in!" Upon hearing Fury's voice, the beast’s growls grew louder.

This wasn't going to end well.

"Target acquired sir, firing formula now!" The agent had yelled it over the wind.

"Sir do you really think this is a good idea, I mean think about it. I've seen the footage... she's not human," Fury looked at Phil with his one good eye and the younger man knew there would be no convincing him against this suicide mission. Sighing he turned away from him to talk to the agents in the hangar who were setting up the 'cage'.

"Bring her in!" Not moments later the sharp whine of a tired howl sang through the air and Fury smiled. "Land this jet agent! We got ourselves a Wolf."

Coulson and Fury were dressed from head to toe in warm clothes consisting of jackets, jumpers, gloves, boots etc. He followed Fury to the edge of the ramp as the snow rained hard and he shivered slightly pulling the coat closer to my body to keep in the heat.

Out of the mist coming toward them were the combat agents. They had ropes slung over their shoulders and dragged a massive mass of fur toward the two in charge.

"Jesus." Phil couldn't help but whisper at the sight of her. To think this massive animal was really a woman was unbelievable. The Wolf was an intense white and grey, with splashes of brown and black on her coat which appeared impossibly soft.

"Load her up people!" Everyone had gotten into their respected positions helping to drag the... woman into the containment cage. "Wheels up in five, we gotta team to assemble!" From his seat in the jet Coulson watched the wolf sleep. Her breathing was laboured but thankfully still present. Not for the last time Coulson hoped that Fury knew what the hell he was doing.

*-*

Inova awoke to lights.

They blinded her eyes cruelly, the artificial sensation surged on her confused state. The hybrid scrambled to her feet and scurried backward, she stopped as her back hit a cold metal wall and despite being used to the cold she rushed away from the sensation.

Feeling down her body Inova was surprised to see form fitting leggings and crop top combination instead of her naked form. Although she was thankful to not be compromised in such an intimate way, the reminder of her current situation did little to set her at ease.

"What is this?" Her unused tone echoed, as her body began to process the aching in her muscles and how they hurt at any sharp movements. "Fury!" Her eyes caught onto movement in the corner of the room, latching onto the space she saw that the surface had reflected and shimmered against the light.

He had locked her in a cage.

"Who the hell turned on the lights so bright? Dull them down!" It was him who gave the order, Inova hissed through her teeth at first sights of the asshole.

The face she knew that had once been young and innocent had aged, one eye was covered by an eyepatch; she found she regretted not being the one who gave it to him. He was dressed from head to toe in black and she had to say it suited him.

Being an evil bastard and all.

"Hello Inova." Instead of answering him, the woman glared at the four walls he contained her in finding no desire to return to how things once were with him.

"Let me go now and I will spare the lives of you and anyone else you've dragged into this mess." It of course was a lie; she wouldn't kill a single soul.

She didn't do that anymore.

"Now now, is that any way to talk to an old friend?" To gather his attention, she snarled manically simultaneously slamming a fist on the glass; the man didn't even flinch.

"You are not a friend; friends do not throw you to the lions and call it mercy. You are a coward Fury and if you don't let me go right now, I promise you, your head will be thrown across the room after I get out of here!" Inova seethed the threat, her fangs bared out of reflex to intimidate. Still the man just stared at her, amusement swirling just beneath his cool exterior. His composure annoyingly upheld, she should have known such tactics would fail, she'd taught him well after all.

Without a blink he stalked closer to where Inova stood inside the cage, stopping only inches away from her face.

"No actually you won't, because you would've done it already. I think deep down you know hurting me would hurt you more than you're letting on." Inova refused to let him see he was right. It wasn’t hard to draw back her hatred and play it cool with feigned indifference.

Her returned remark was cold. "You've gotten old." He smirked just like he used to, and her heart panged at the memories of the little boy who had once been a brother to her.

No.

He was gone now she had to remember that.

"You've gotten bitchier." It was the vamps turn to smirk as she felt herself naively become a bit at ease.

She relaxed against the glass, cocking her hip in that way that made men go crazy. "What do you want, and why'd you have to drug me to get it?"

"There she is!" Nick brought up this sort of hologram thing on the glass, her reflex made her take a few steps back.

"What in the-" Fury cut past her amusement.

"Times have changed Inova, new threats have been uncovered. I'm assembling a team of elite people to fight against a new threat the earth has just gained." All at once images extended across the glass, a mutant green creature, a man in a metal suit flying across the skies, a blonde man hurling a hammer across the place and fighting a towering metal man. It was as she took in the footage that her attention zeroed in on a specific person on the screen.

Wheeling around on a motorbike, blowing up tanks and socking old Hitler on the jaw.

Steven Grant Rogers.

Her mouth hung open.

Inova swallowed the spit building in her throat multiple times before finding her voice. "H-how can you assemble this so-called team with Captain America when he is dead?" Inova tries to keep control but the waver in her voice betrays her true emotions.

"He's alive, we found him in the ice." Fury reasons but the vamp is unconvinced.

"Liar."

"Just listen for a second-" His attempt to lie any further is cut off by Inova's seething remark.

"No! He's dead and I know this because I was there when he died. Any hope for Steve Rogers being alive disappeared with him and the Valkyrie." Her eyes narrow in suspicion as she regards him closely. "What’s your real motive Nicholas?" He feels his name spat against the glass and hesitates. "What do you really want!?" By now she had had enough of the restriction, she wanted out.

Thinking of Steve always led to thoughts of Erskine, her biggest failure.

"Inova calm down!"

"I am done taking your orders!" With new motivation she punched the glass cage, it chipped slightly from where her knuckle had struck it and she smiled dangerously at the dark-skinned man as he started to back away. "Run Fury, it always makes the kill much more entertaining!" Another hit and the thick thing cracked more, by now she was cackling after every hit despite her knuckles becoming stained with blood.

Eventually the structure gave way and she stepped out.

There were a pair of black trainers close outside of the cage, she pulled them on seeing as they were in her size. A perfect fit it seems, so Nick had planned to let her out.

Feeling free once more Inova navigated her way through the unknown, men with armed guns tried to attack her but she merely pushed pass them with determination, batting them onto the walls out of her way, focused only on following Fury's scent.

When the hallways became wider and the sound of bustling people more evident, she slowed her advancement, Fury was on the other end of the busy hub.

Inova emerged into a room full of S.H.I.E.L.D agents with guns trained all in her direction, the threat although futile bugged her as did the intent behind it.

One of the men gets testy and without missing a beat the hybrid grabs at him expertly disarming him of his assault rifle and aimed the weapon at Fury before anyone could bat their eyes.

The entire room reacted rather negatively to this, agents coming to a full stop to watch the barely clothed woman pointing a gun at their boss. Inova keeps her face neutral, "Be a good boy and tell them to disarm their weapons Nick." Her finger slides onto the trigger, the gun aimed a little higher on the directors’ frame; straight at his head. "Or I disarm you." To her credit she had hid her bluff behind the poker face well.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Upon hearing the interruption, she turns to point the gun on the man who dared to tell her what she would or wouldn't do.

Her poker face is abandoned.

The smell of leather and cheap cologne resonates in the air, it's sudden intensity familiar to her in a way she doubted she'd ever know again. War flashes behind her eyes, memories of experiments, disappointment and heroes. All at once she remembered a time she refused to acknowledge, remembered the memories she runs from.

Memories of this man, being everything, Erskine could have ever wanted and so much more.

The man she had failed to protect.

Inova cringes at the weapon in hand and Nat- who had been alert since first sight of the woman- blinks in confusion, Bruce's brows furrow whilst Maria's frown gets deeper. "That wouldn't be- the u-um the uh-" Steve for all his credit is stuck in a stare so intense that he begins stumbling for words which escape him. Inova ignores the stares of everyone except the one that burns into her skin, the aimed guns pointed straight at her are forgotten as she drops the weapon carelessly to the ground and stalks closer to the man with a sense of disbelief.

When she's close enough to touch, no more than a breath away she gawks up at him.

"I-?" Inova winces at her lack of control, lowering her head as well as her hands in an uncharacteristically submissive gesture. When she dared to lift her head back up again, she was met with sky blue eyes and a questioning look. Enraptured she watches as his lips part subconsciously as he stares down into her own violet ones with curiosity... but no recognition.

'He doesn't know you anymore.' Her inner thoughts taunt.

"Believe me now." Came Fury's smug voice and Inova nodded curtly.

This was Steve, really him.

He was here, alive and well, with his heart pumping the blood full of a serum she had once doubted.

It was Steven Grant Rogers, here in the future!

"Sorry." Inova sheepishly bites her lower lip whilst she eyes the rest of the room, more specifically at the guns still trained on her. "Umm..." Her hands raise in the universal sign for 'I surrender' and Fury intervenes.

"At ease Agents." When the guns fall away, the men resume work as if nothing has happened and Inova slips into her persona like it’s a warm glove she'd never taken off.

Like nothing phases her.

Setting her sight back onto Steve she gives him a small smile. "Apologies I was confused; you look like someone I used to know." Then with a bigger smile. "I'm Inova. Pleased to meet you." She holds out her hand and relishes in the touch privately when his palm slides into hers.

"Pleasure to meet your acquaintance- I mean pleased to make you- uh?" Inova's eyebrow raises as her amusement settles in. Steve unsure of what the hell he’d gotten into himself is thrown off by the sharpness of her English accent, only to then mentally berate himself at the thought. The Captain clears his throat and tries again. "Hello, Inova." Admittedly hearing her full name out of his mouth for the first time makes her heart flutter satisfyingly.

Natasha is next to introduce herself; the spy naturally gives Inova an assessing look, not completely trusting her yet. The Russian didn't know her... she knew everyone. "Natasha Romanoff, it's funny Fury didn't say you were coming." As soon as the redhead spoke the words Inova glared over her shoulder at the man.

"Fury never tells anyone everything now does he, which is something I am sure you're used to." Natasha conceals the urge to frown and shakes the woman's hand instead, ignoring the almost fond tone in the newcomer’s voice. Not for the first time Natasha wonders what the relationship between the two is. "Nevertheless, it is nice to meet you, Natasha." Inova spared a glance down to their connected hands, her hand absorbed the thrumming of Natasha's pulse, whilst the lavender smell which clung to the woman blended heavenly with the smell of her blood.

Inova must snap herself out of her daze to take in Nat's reply.

"Likewise. Welcome to the helicarrier Inova." The redhead was clearly a highly trained spy. The handshake she gave was so formal, so precise. One shake and she let go going to look at the monitor with information on.

"Gentlemen." Steve- who Inova was currently avoiding eye contact with- pulled out some money and handed Fury a 10 dollar note. The vamp tutted when she saw it; Nick and his bets.

Fury walked over to the man who appeared seemingly uncomfortable in with the atmosphere and shook his hand.

"Doctor, thank you for coming."

"Thanks for asking nicely, so uh how long am I staying?"

"Once we get our hands on the Tesseract, you're in the wind." Banner nodded.

"Where are you with that?" As Inova stood there watching everyone's movements a man with slightly thinning hair dressed in a black and white suit started talking.

"We're sweeping every wirelessly accessible camera on the planet. Cell phones, laptops, if it's connected to a satellite it's eyes and ears for us." Inova listened rather closely accessing exactly what she'd been forced into. At one point she made eye contact with this agent briefly but the moment he looked at her his eyes downcast as if he'd seen something terrifying.

He truly didn't know the half of it.

"It's still not gonna find them in time." The red head observed.

"You have to narrow your field, how many spectrometers do you have access to?" Banner asked and It dawn on Inova that she had no idea what any of them were talking about. This Banner relayed something of real scientific value, but she couldn't pay attention to any of it, her brain clenched with a fatigue she hadn't felt in a while.

"Agent Romanoff show Doctor banner to his laboratory please." Fury instructed.

"You're gonna love it Doc, we got all the toys." The spy left with the doctor in tow.

Just as Inova distracted herself trying to work out why her body wanted to do nothing more than slump down an agent in uniform had grabbed her hand without permission. The woman caught her off guard with the gentle touch. It rattled Inova enough that she may have growled at her, a lot of eyes snapped over to both women.

Including that of Fury and Steve.

The agent backed off immediately but wasn't scared just cautious. Fury- who's watching the scene unfold- tells Inova to stop being so dramatic and let 'Hill' do her job.

Inova frowns at the bottle of some chemical this woman's holding in her hand, with the cloth in her other hand. Then she arches her brow in distrust and demand to know what's in it. "It's just water genius." The shorter female informs her dryly and the hybrid sheepishly realises she was just trying to clean the drying blood off her knuckles.

In the background she can hear Fury chuckling at her and Inova ignores him in favour of sending an apologetic smile to this Hill. The woman continues and as the vampire watches she notices the slightly shorter woman smells a little bit like her, Inova tests out her hypothesis. "You were the one who dressed me." Hill gives nothing away, switching to the other hand, Inova hums. "Must've been fun."

Hill drops her hand abruptly having finished and stalks away, Inova shouts her thanks after her, examining the work, still that feeling of wariness fails to dissipate.

In the end it grows so intensely she decides to sit down in one of the chairs around some glass table. She cracks her back a bit to lessen the stiffness and closes her eyes, settling into her chosen spot.

"Inova, please tell me you are not napping." Nick's voice is full of judgement but Inova had already stretched her limbs so caring about that fact was out of the question.

"Of course, I'm taking a nap. I'm tired and hungry-" She yawned in-between the sentence, her mouth stretching to full capacity in a wolfish display. "I'll wake up when you actually need me, but first I need to sleep off the rest of those tranquilizers." Inova flipped her hair in front of her shoulders to block out all the bustling about. As her eyes were closed, she failed to see Steve watching her with barely concealed curiosity, as well as Nick's guilt over earlier events. Instead she simply curled up into the seat and tried to doze off.

"I'm Steve by the way." Said the Captain in such a shy address from next to her that she couldn't hold back the softness in her tone as she replied.

"Oh, I know all about you Mr. Rogers, trust me." The phrase was murmured under soft breaths before she finally slept.


	7. A Turning Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inova couldn't help but admire his features up close, this man who she had once known only as a boy had grown into his features well enough for her to be proud. The hybrids so engrossed in her own feelings that the next statement just kind of slips out. "You look just like your father."
> 
> The man rolls his eyes. "Yeah and how do you know that?" Her eyes met Steve's as he asked the question on all their minds, but Tony only looked at her with an unreadable expression.
> 
> "I knew him." Was her simple explanation but it caused everyone else to just stare at her in further bemusement.

Steve was at a complete loss for any explanation of the now slumbering woman sitting opposite him.

Inova was beautiful, there was no doubt in his mind about that. Her black hair was long. It stopped just below her waist and perfectly silhouetted her smooth mocha skin and rose lips. As they interacted Steve took her into further detail, noticing the regal way she held herself, the swiftness of her movements shamefully appealing to watch. The curve of her smile as she'd met his eyes with her own bright violet ones had turned him into a blubbering fool.

Steve was sure he'd never met a woman with such a memorable appearance but couldn't shake off this feeling that he knew her; such thoughts left him as quick as they came.

He instead started to question her clothes. This 'Inova' currently wore an outfit which back in his time would have scandalized the whole of Brooklyn. The material of the tight clothes cling to her every curve- Steve had to basically smack himself out of a fog when he'd first lay his eyes on her. Even though her midriff was exposed, and her skin was on display she oozed nothing but control and power.

Who was she?

"Mr. Rogers?" Fury pulled the man in question from his thoughts of the strange woman with a cleared throat.

Steve puts on his Captain persona and raises a brow. "Yes."

"I trust you can wake her up whenever you're ready, we have a lot going on and it's not fair if she gets to chill there now is it?" Steve nods at the given instruction and is surprised when the boss hands him a beige folder. "Something wrong Rogers?" He shakes his head with a faint smile.

"No sir, it's just... well let’s just say something surprised." Fury catches the small glance he spares over Inova's sleeping figure and the slightest of smiles appears on his face.

"Captain trust me, you don't know the half of it. Hand this to agent Coulson would you." Then without another word Fury leaves to go be his anonymous self.

It wasn't long after that when Coulson thanked Steve for the file and relayed the basic information back to him. "We got something on Loki, you ready for this." The Captain persona once again took over when Hill called out to him. Steve briefly thought of waking up Inova but thought twice about it, after all she said she'd been drugged by Fury, if that was in fact true Steve didn't think the woman would appreciate being woken up so soon. In the end he decided not to disturb her for something that could be completed with a few of the team.

It was time to suit up.

*-*

The moment Steve and the rest of the gang had left Inova slit open her eyes and glared at Fury.

The man catches the look immediately, his brow furrows as he tries to ignore her but the longer, he does the harder her glare becomes. Fury eventually sighs, his eye turning onto the woman in the chair. "What?" At his tone Inova leans back, she fanes indifference but Fury knows her too well to believe she's that at ease with what's happening.

"I have to commend you on your effort Nicky." Hill and Coulson- who just so happen to be eavesdropping on their conversation- share a bewildered stare, how was this woman allowed to get away with calling him 'Nicky'. What's more is the director doesn't even seem surprised, he's the picture of cool.

"My effort?" Fury repeats and Inova leans forward, her fingernails tapping the glass table in a nonspecific rhythm.

"Oh yeah, I mean I understand bringing me here for your own gain trust me I do, but to justify it using him... That's low Nick, even for you." Once again, the director doesn't allude to any kind of emotion, his voice is void of any hints as to how he is affected by the woman's commentary. Inova seems to like where she's got him, relishes in how she's affected him, she seems to be the only one who can.

"I'm not above low Inova, not right now when the world hangs in the balance."

Inova doesn't feel the need to stop her eyes from rolling. "Yes, the world. How sad to watch it go."

"You may be able to kid yourself Inova, but I know you still care. If not for the world then for him." Her lip twitches, as if she's stopping herself from smiling, as if she knows Fury's right but just can't admit it. The brown woman says nothing more, just slides her eyes closed signalling the end of their conversation.

*-*

Inova felt a weird feeling pass through her and shivered.

For some reason she could feel the air change, as if it got heavier. Opening one of her eyes she reached out with heightened senses to feel for unusual activity in the helicarrier, sensing more people onboard than there were originally and frowned.

Who had come aboard?

Unhurried the woman yawns, arching her back and stretching out across the glass table. Satisfied with the small crack of her spine, she assesses her surroundings. Steve and Natasha sat around the glass table talking to some muscled blonde dude along with Doctor Banner. Steve just happened to tilt his head sideways meeting her eyes noticing she'd awoken.

"Hello again." Inova smiles devilishly at the way the words leave her mouth in a purr, Steve whose caught up in the violet of her eyes for a second sends her a small smile before looking away. The vamp would have revelled in the attention if it weren't for the huge blonde standing before the table opposite her, Inova's eyebrow quirked as her gaze flickers between Thor and Steve; was she having a naughty dream.

The hunk acknowledged her first. "My lady." Inova's left brow quirked up.

"My lady," The repeated words sound like ash in her mouth, not liking the sound of it at all she retorts. "you're not from around here, are you?"

The man smirks genuinely back at her. "The same could be said for you." With a newfound interest Inova leans over to shake his hand.

"Your name?"

"I am Thor of Asgard, son of Odin, and you are?" Inova's eyes widened just a fraction at the mention of Asgard.

"Inova of...Edrania, daughter of a whore." At the mention of her home Thor's face lights up, he honestly resembles that of a giant puppy and Inova cannot recall the last time a smile like that had been aimed at her.

"Edrania, you must live amongst the fiercest of warriors." The hybrid had tried to hold back the flinch in response to his statement. Knowing exactly how much the word 'warrior' failed to paint the true picture of her people.

Instead she laughed self depreciatingly at the prince, "I believe the term conquerors best suits my people if I am honest. Thankfully I haven't lived amongst them for quite some time now." Her phrasing put it lightly, over 1500 years was anything but small. Something akin to understanding appears in the blue of Thor's eye and he sends a curt nod over in her direction, opening his mouth to probably appeal to her in some way.

Someone presses a button before he could answer back however, and a live feed pops up on the screens. Inova's eyes flick down onto the screen in interest, after seeing the footage however she's forced to frown.

"What's Fury doing and who the hell is that?"

The god clears his throat around his mumbled explanation. "That is my brother Loki, he is being questioned by the director." Inova's brow furrows further.

"You are aware your brothers in a cell and you're doing nothing to save him right?" Thor sighs at the video almost longingly when Inova asks her question without taking violet eyes off the screen.

"Loki does not deserve such kindness." He says, the surrounding occupants at the table all returned their attention to the screen.

*-*

"-Mindless beast makes play he's still a man." Inova peers up at Banner and throws him what she hopes is a look of empathy, she knew all too well what it was like to hide the truth behind a human façade. "How desperate are you, that you call upon such lost creatures to defend you?"

Nick was surprisingly calm although his heartbeat was steadily rising, Inova kept tabs on it in case she needed to intercept. "How desperate am I? You threaten my world with war, you steal a force you can't hope to control, you talk about peace and you kill cause it's fun. You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that you did." Loki pursed his lips, tilts his head and furrows his eyebrows in a way that practically embodied evil.

"Oh, it burns you to have come so close. To have the tesseract, to have power unlimited power and for what? A warm light for all mankind to share... and then to be reminded what real power is." The face he made was stern, his words cold.

Inova couldn't help but scoff, "I'll show him real power." The mumble spurs eye contact between her and the soldier out of time.

He blushes and glances away shortly after.

"Well, let me know if real power wants a magazine or something." Nick sassed walking out of the prison room.

The feed dies and everyone reassesses. "He really grows on you, doesn't he?" Banner comments dryly.

"He's an asshole." Inova retorts dryly whilst Steve- who Inova had realised wore a Captain America outfit nothing like the original- cleared his throat after apparently deciding to play the leader card.

"Loki's gonna drag this out, so...Thor what's his play?" 'Dear god that suit was practically painted on.' Inova skimmed her eyes down his frame and flushed the further down her eyes got.

"He has an army called the Chitauri, they're not of Asgard or any realm known, he means to lead them against your people they will win him the earth in return I suspect for the tesseract." Thor informs the rest of them and Inova's eyes travel distractedly further down Steve's chest. 'Seriously whose idea was it to make the suit out of the tightest material known to man.'

"An army from outta space?" Steve mumbles in a daze, not for the first time Inova was reminded how little an idea he had of the wonders space contained.

"So, he's building another portal, that's what he needs Erik Selvik for." Banner figured out.

"Selvik?" Inside the chest of the god Thor's heartbeat increase.

"He's an astrophysicist." Banner explained.

"He's a friend."

"Loki has him under some kind of spell, along with one of ours." Natasha added monotonously, Inova spared a questioning glance at her noticing the tension buried in her voice along with the obvious worry.

This agent she cared about was important to her.

That much was obvious.

"I wanna know why Loki let us take him, he's not leading an army from here." Inova was about to ask _'how long exactly had she been asleep'_ until her senses warned her of an unknown presence she hadn't felt on board before. Faintly in the background her ears had picked up the light hum of a device.

Habitually she sniffed the air around her, an action she was pretty sure didn't go unnoticed.

"I don't think we should be focusing on Loki, that guys brain is a bag full of cats you can smell crazy on him." Banner deadpans.

"Have care how you speak, Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard, and he is my brother." Thor defended the man with a passion and Inova felt a small sense of Deja-vu she had done the same many times with Mina.

Nat uses the time to remind Thor. "He killed 80 people in 2 days."

"...He's adopted." Thor states easing up the tension a bit.

The humming was still in the air and now partnered with approaching footsteps. Whoever was coming was talking in a tone Inova was sure she had heard before.

She hated not being able to place it.

"I think it's about the mechanics, iridium what do they need the iridium for?" After Bruce's enquiry two men walked in, one the suited agent from earlier the other in a different kind of get up. Modern day twist on formal wear and-

Inova's eyes widened in literal shock and no matter how hard she tried to even her breathing it wouldn't steady.

*-*

_"Soon you're gonna realise that sweet talkin' me will get you nowhere Stark." He laughed adorably at her; his head tossed back exposing his tanned neck in a way so ironically Howard that it made the vamp glow. Inova licked her chops like a dog at the rush of want but smiled back nonetheless pushing it down in favour of amusement._

_Honestly the man was contagious._

_"Come on Vi, we both know a guy like me can't help but flatter you. I mean look at you." She scoffed decidedly repulsed at his purred phrasing, how attractive could victory rolls and a violet swing dress really be?_

_"I have 'looked' and honestly I'm not that impressed." He snorts at her tone whilst twirling her round like a ballerina, his Italian leather shoes skid across the smooth pavement as he did._

_"You'd make a perfect show girl, why don't you audition?" At his smooth change in topic Inova releases a groan, he never spoke of anything except sex, girls and more sex._

_"One day," She shakes her head in exasperation. "one day I swear a sweet innocent girl will make you honest," Inova pats his shoulder comradely after he puts her down and grins up at him, in his scruffy suit. "and she won’t be me.”_

_Howard groans in pain, slamming his fist to his chest as his face crumbles in dismay. "You wound me!" Inova slaps his shoulder mockingly as they carry on their stroll to base._

*-*

_"You gave up not me!" Inova glares at Howard as he fiddles with a contraption on his study table, his hairs are going grey at the temples, the stress of worrying is getting to him and he's in total denial over the fact that he's losing it._

_As he carries on ranting, she gently butts in._

_"Howard you've got to let it go, Steve is gone and he's never coming back. You want to blame me for not doing anything about it, then go ahead. But as your friend I refuse to watch you spiral away, for God sakes if you're not going to do it for me, then do it for your son at least!" That finally gets the scientist riled up enough to fucking look at her._

_He marches over to where his friend stands, his breath is laced with whiskey, eyes bloodshot from the lack of sleep. "Do not tell me how to raise my son!" Inova can barely contain her eyeroll._

_"Raising, is that what we're calling Jarvis's presence, or Maria's consistent exhaustion. Jesus Christ Howard, after everything I came out of hiding for you, to help you! "Howard turns away and she speaks up louder. "If you don't fix up now, if you don't change, you're going to lose Tony!" He tries to shrug away from her, his gaze fixed stubbornly to the floor but Inova grabs his hand before he fully retreats and whips him back. "Howard, he's almost 8 and he's smarter than any kid I've ever met. He's pulling away from you more and more every day, right now right here is when you start trying to fix it." It's like he doesn't even register the sentiment, too absorbed in his own bullshit._

_"The world can afford to lose you Howard, Anthony however cannot." The faint sound of oak brushing open silences any reply the father may have had in return. Into the study steps one mister Edwin Jarvis and at his heels is the boy. Tony's dressed for bed, prim and proper not a hair out of place. His resemblance to his father is uncanny and as Inova beams at him those brown eyes sparkle a little brighter._

_Edwin clears his throat, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet as he addresses both Inova and Howard. "Forgive the intrusion sir, Miss. It's just Maria is in bed and Anthony has kindly asked for a bedtime story." Howard scoffs from his leather chair, his drunken state doing nothing to keep his thoughts sensitive._

_"What do you need a story for? Huh, you’re a Stark for Christ sakes use that brain of yours and count some sheep!" The vamp glares at Howard for a long moment as a deadly silence overtakes the room, Tony had noticeably shrivelled back in hesitation as his father's cruel words and Inova was less than impressed. Shaking her head Howards way and adopting a smaller stature she makes her way over to little Tony._

_Brown fawn like eyes peer up at her, and she gently pinches his cheek. "Don't you worry kiddo, your dads just being a grumpy head because he's had no sleep." She kneels closer to him with a fond smile. "How about we go get some hot chocolate and I'll read you La Petit Prince as we drink yeah, sound good?" That manages to get him to smirk a little and Inova places her right hand over her chest above her heart, then places the left one over Tony's own heart. The boy gives her a gentle smile and does the same to her in return. She bops him on the nose before they leave the complication of one Howard Stark behind hand in hand._

*-*

Inova is no stranger to emotions, anyone who’s ever known her could verify the truth of such a statement and from the first sight of him she felt the familiar prick of tears behind her eyes.

"It's a stabilising agent." Drawls that heavy American accent and her breath catches in her throat, he's as cocky as his dad was. Inova was snapped out of her daze as Nick made himself known, coming up to the level they were all on.

"-Huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster." Doctor Banner looked as if he were trying to work out how he should reply.

"Thanks." The anger fuelled doctor managed to say after consideration.

"Doctor Banner is only here to track the cube, I was hoping you would join him." Fury looked at Howards son then back over to where Inova stared at him; he shook his head.

"Does he-?" Inova started to question to see if he remembered or knew who she was.

"Unknown." Nick clarified and Inova tried to maintain her composure. Obviously, he didn't know her. He had been quite young when she left him. Steve narrowed his eyes at the pairs interaction but decided not to question it, instead staying on mission.

"Let's start with that stick of his it may be magical, but it works an awful lot like a hydra weapon." The vamp couldn't stop the low growl which escaped her at the mention of Hydra, that earned her a lot of stares from everyone apart from Fury who was expressionless. He knew all about her hatred for Hydra and had seen and heard way worse than that from her. However, Natasha eyed the woman superstitiously, Steve was even more confused. The Howard look alike, and Bruce just eyed her, and Thor looked at her with interest.

"I'd like to know how Loki used it to turn some of the sharpest men I know into his personal flying monkeys." Nick was obviously changing the subject so everyone would stop focussing on his secret recruit.

"Monkeys? I do not understand-" Thor began but Steve butted in.

"I do!" He looked gleeful but when nobody laughed, he turned around in his chair giving everyone sheepish looks at his achievement.

"I understood that reference." His offered explanation made Inova grin and she swore he looked at her with gratitude.

"Oh, and one more thing." Tony added. Fury looked to him with an eyebrow raised. "Who is she?" He sat on the chair next to her so Inova had to glance at him sideways on. Realising the awkward positioning he turned his chair to face her and she decided to do the same with her own, instead of looking at him Inova was instantly attracted to his chest.

Right in the centre was the object which hummed.

Inova couldn't help but admire his features up close, this man who she had once known only as a boy had grown into his features well enough for her to be proud. The hybrids so engrossed in her own feelings that the next statement just kind of slips out. "You look just like your father."

The man rolls his eyes. "Yeah and how do you know that?" Her eyes met Steve's as he asked the question on all their minds, but Tony only looked at her with an unreadable expression.

"I knew him." Was her simple explanation but it caused everyone else to just stare at her in further bemusement.

"You knew my dad." Tony's drawl was even dryer than previously and Inova found herself wanting to see as sign of recognition on his face, wanted him to remember her and all the good she had done. It was this selfish line of thought which encouraged her to reveal more about the situation.

"Yes, he was a very funny fellow. The flirty type." Tony cannot refrain from rolling his eyes and finds his voice laced with venom in his next retort.

"If you really met him then you would know what an asshole he was." Inova scowled at the words and Steve interjected like the perfect soldier he was but Tony wasn't finished something didn't sit right with him about his woman.

He was sure he had met her, yet he couldn't place where.

"Mr. Stark-" Tony waved off the soldier’s concern and waited for the purple eyed girl to give him some more explanation.

Steve felt like he had to stop Tony from saying anything else because he could see Inova's expression and it didn't look very pleased.

"Mr. Stark!" Steve warned again but the man didn't listen and had put his hands on the woman's shoulders making her narrow her eyes. Steve had a sinking feeling this wasn't gonna end well and readied himself for a fight to break out, but Tony surprised him by drawing back with a sharp exhale. For a moment, an unsure expression flickered on his features the movement small but caught onto by the highly trained people in the room.

Inova is deadly still in response, her scowl is gone replaced with- is that worry?

Much to everyone's confusion Tony places his shaking right hand up to cover his Arc-reactor and uses his left hand to mimic the action over Inova's own chest.

Directly above their hearts.

As if it couldn't get any weirder Inova's face breaks out into a look of utter pain and she grimaces, Tony beams wide at her completely in shock.

"No way-"

Inova frowns despite her eyes being filled with hope. "Do you-?”

Tony can't believe his eyes "How is this possible-"

"I didn't think you would." The two interrupt one another like old friends and the collective tension in the room instantly dissipates when the billionaire pulls the woman into a hug. Steve narrows his eyes and the only spy in the room speaks up for everyone.

"As touching as this is, what the hell is happening?" The Captain nods in agreement and is annoyed beyond belief when the two pull away from each other but ignore the question.

"What's it been 30 years?" Tony smirks.

Inova smiles, it stretches across her face in a pleasing way. "Give or take, I was afraid you might have forgotten."

"Eh I kind of did for a second there, the workout clothes threw me off I've kind of got a one-track brain, you know what never mind. As if I could forget you. You haven't aged a day. How?" Inova felt she owed this man some form of answer so let her fangs fall from their pockets and hissed. After a few gasps and confused expressions, she retracted her fangs and waited, her grin as big as a Cheshire cat as she did.

"So, what. You're some type of vampire being then?" Natasha asked her, clearly surprised but choosing not to let it show on her features.

"Exactly!" Inova beamed. "The oldest and only vampire on earth to be precise." Her pride was clear as she sat watching everyone's reactions. "Anyway, it doesn't matter now does it, we should be doing some work should we not?" She licked her lips slowly and made a biting action aimed in Tony's direction.

"Still frighteningly sexy." Inova grinned at him and blew him a kiss. Steve refrained from rolling his eyes.

Tony was just like his father indeed.

"Doctor Banner, should we go play mad scientists?" Bruce nodded then left with Tony, leaving Steve with Thor, Natasha and Inova.

*-*

Inova tried to block her out.

At first it was easy, she was too busy being in a ship full of beings she didn't know nor trust to acknowledge the tug at the bond. However, releasing her fangs probably wasn't the best idea.

The smell flooded her first and she couldn't help but inhale it in deeply. Her eyes rolled back as she relaxed into the chair, trying to ignore all the beating hearts with limitless sources of food inside.

"You're having way too much fun." Inova winced before she could stop it.

Her voice was clear inside her head and Inova physically shook it, as if the action could get Mina out somehow. "You can't get rid of me that easy, so stop trying. It's pathetic."

"Shut up." Was sneered under the vamp’s breath in retaliation but she soon realised her mistake when she received looks from those around her.

"What do you want?" Inova hissed inside her head this time, learning from the mistake.

She could practically feel Mina's triumphant smirk. "Get away from the humans, I want to talk to you. Don't keep me waiting."

"Excuse me." Inova got up abruptly and sauntered out of the main room through the hallway, she kept walking until she reached a room which was unoccupied. Only then did the hybrid fully acknowledge the other woman.

"What the hell do you want Mina?" Her name was spat from rose lips and some part of Inova just knew the wolf was seething beneath the surface.

"You promised me a feeding darlin, so don't raise your voice at me." Inova calmed down enough to slide down on a wall into a sit, shutting her eyes and drifting into their link when she was situated comfortably.

When she opened her eyes again, she was standing on the conjured imitation of her favourite tree back home, what was once her home anyway. The tall grass swayed in a gentle wind as did the stunning silver leaves on the massive branches, the weather matched their current calm.

That would soon change.

Mina was sat where she always was, in the throne she had thought into the tree’s trunk. Her beauty in that moment was indescribable, Inova had always thought Mina wore her features better than she herself ever could. It took her a moment to get over the lace dress Mina had clearly taken time to conjure. It matched not only the leaves but the white bark of the tree and for a second, she found herself thinking Mina was a perfect replica of herself alike in all ways but their personalities.

Inova took a breath and chose her next words carefully.

"Fine, is something wrong?" Although the comment was innocent the wolf didn't see it like that.

"We wake up fine. It's cold but we're fine, then we get hunted, then drugged and finally we wake up in a cage with none other than Nicholas fucking Fury being the one to put us there. Here's you, sitting on your lazy ass joking around with a couple of humans instead of getting us the hell out of here!" She screamed her abuse at the vamp who took it in stride.

"I didn't mean to upset you Mina, I understand it must be confusing, but I promise you we are in no danger, I-" Inova was cut off by her scowl.

"We are in the middle of a S.H.I.E.L.D facility. You have dragged me to our demise, and I will have no part of it!" The air turned hot during Mina's outburst and Inova felt a single drop of sweat run down her shoulder.

Ignores it.

"Do you have so little faith in me? These humans are in trouble they need help to save their world! Surely you of all people should understand how that feels!" Mina grew still and Inova regretted the words as soon as she had said them, biting her lips she watched the woman rise.

The wrath was being barely contained; all one would have to do is gaze within her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't-" Inova had begun to beg forgiveness but it fell on death ears. Mina had slapped her round the face with her wolf speed. A few silent moments later the vamps hand rose to gingerly touch her cheek and she shivered harshly when she drew back and saw blood.

Mina smirked.

"That will show you for being so naïve. The humans have done nothing but torture us endlessly, yet you still try to help them!"

Inova held back any further explanation, refusing to let Mina ruin what had become a perfect new course of life.

"You used to trust me." She whispered instead awaiting her reaction. Mina's face turned soft and the intense burning which had taken place around them ceased, transforming once again to a false tranquillity.

A hand requested Inova's cheek shyly but she jerked away from Mina's touch.

Mina drew back her palm and sighed. "I'm sorry Inova. You know I am, but you're kidding yourself if you think this false team is going to change anything for us. We are monsters living amongst monsters, savages forced into hiding because our truth is that bad. We weren't built to care."

"Yet you do it so well. You cared once." Mina bares her teeth at Inova.

"Not anymore, not again."

"You used to care about him." Times like these, Inova couldn't help bringing up the past, seeing Mina in person was rare because she could only jump into the link if Inova herself was on board as well.

Every time they saw one another hurt more than the last time.

"Must we do this now?" Mina deadpans and Inova stood up straighter and sniffed, glaring her opposite down.

"Yes! Yes, we must do this now! Or you might push me away again, like you always do Mina."

The woman growled in annoyance, scratching at the bark with her elongated claws. "Yes alright! I cared very little, but it was there." Inova watches her face for a few moments. The wolfs features are soft, relaxing briefly as she stared off into the far distance. The sight lasted only a minute before her harder glare replaces it. "What good was it to him in the end? None. He's dead, killed by the hands of man and now you look at me and ask me to help them."

Inova refused to meet Mina's eyes, knowing if she did, she would be drawn into her trap of persuasion. Those blue eyes could make even the wisest man see beyond reason.

"It wasn't man’s fault. The actions of the Red skull cannot define all of them. It isn't fair. It would be like defining all vampires by my mother." That was the wrong thing for Inova to say, if the sneer on the wolf's face is any indication.

"You're wrong... vampires are worse you're all the same."

"You weren't complaining when we saved you in the hybrid wars." This really bugs Mina; whose anger lights up the scenery behind them once more. The flames are back, bigger and more vicious than before.

"Trust me princess I didn't ask for your so-called mercy-"

"Trust you!" The comment was snarled as Inova raised her head to meet the wolfs eyes. Violet crashing dangerously against the blue. "When you cannot do such things for me! I went through the endless torment and bullying on my home planet because I was forced to house the inner wolf of a criminal!"

Mina bares her teeth in true wolf fashion and intimidates Inova against the tree's trunk. When Inova's back hits the bark, the wolf spits out, "It wasn't your planet, it was mine! Your mother slaughtered my people, ran us from our homes and took no mercy. Then when we thought matters couldn't get any worse, she forced our souls into yours to give her close advisors the ability to shift." Those lapis blue eyes glow dangerously icy as she glares into the vamp’s soul and Inova stops herself from cowering back at the truth.

The imitation of Mina's breath hits her face when she grinds out an old phrase. "You may have forgotten your past Inova, but I have not forgotten mine!"

Admittedly violet eyes lowered in guilt.

Mina- done with the conversation- leaps over a branch in her rage, Inova didn't dare follow her.

Her words echoed in her head as she snapped back into the real world.

Her breathing was laboured, and she noticed her sadness had been passed on through the link, as she wiped away brimming tears which threatened to spill from her eyes in self-loathing.

Mina was right about her. It was only a matter of time before this team knew her true nature also.

"Inova?" Inova sniffed deeply caught off guard by the voice. Steve had come through the door clad in a bombshell of a uniform and the room shrouded them both in dark but couldn't shield his smell.

Inova refused to let him see any weakness.

"It's me, what are you doing here?" The subject change was swift but unnoticed.

"Phase 2." Although she was confused, she nodded and tagged along as he sneaked through the place. Whilst he was cautiously walking Inova grew distracted thinking back to her discussion with Mina.

Why wasn't their bond normal?

Soon a weird smell caught her off guard, weird only in its similarity, she had smelt it before just not in the current time period. Inova sniffed the air and caught the scent; touching Steve's hand to get him to slow down.

''Why do you -" The hybrid put a finger to her mouth to tell him to be quiet and rounded a corner, there stacked amongst one another was a bunch of silver crates holding the old smell.

"Here the smell ends here." She pointed to the crate, he knelt and snapped open the top.

An old anger surged through them both at the contents.

"Are those -" Inova began and Steve finishes.

"Hydra weapons yeah." The vamp suppressed a growl, she fucking hated Hydra.

"But why does S.H.I.E.L.D have Hydra weapons?" She voices her thoughts aloud.

"That's what I'd like to know." He looked mad.

A reaction Inova wasn't surprised at, he'd fought all through the war to be rid of those bastards only to wake up and find out his work was being used for this bullshit. Inova opened another one of the crates and pulled out a gun. "Come on let's get this to the others." He took it off her with a cross look.

"Lead the way." Inova hoped the reply wasn't too predatory but she hadn't seen him for the longest time. And if she were being honest staring at his butt up close in that suit was something on her lists of things to do.

*-*

They walked into the lab which Tony and Bruce had been working in, she noticed Nick's presence with them, and her anger increased.

They hadn't noticed the two of them.

"What is phase two?" Tony asked obnoxiously. Steve dropped the steal gun on the labs top causing a bang and effectively cutting off any response Fury may have had.

All heads snapped towards the vamp and Captain.

"Phase 2 is S.H.I.E.L.D uses the cube to make weapons, sorry computer was moving a little slow for me." Steve gave Fury a death glare, quite frankly Inova couldn't blame him.

"Rogers we gathered everything related to the tesseract this does not mean-" Fury tried to placate the angry man but Tony cut him off when he turned a monitor around plastered with blueprints to weapons.

"I'm sorry Nick what were you lying?" He stared at the screen Tony had just turned and almost sighed.

He had lied to all of them.

"I was wrong director the world hasn't changed a bit." Inova chuckled trying not to show the hurt which threatened to make an appearance on her face.

"You can say that again." Inova referred to Steve's statement and almost as soon as she said that Thor and Natasha walked in. The universe took that as an opportunity to cause things to descend downhill, Inova hopped up onto the counter to sit and process the increasing tension of the situation.

"Because of him!" Nick accusingly pointed to Thor, like a child.

"Me?" The blonde God touched his chest as if hurt and Inova rolled violet eyes at the drama unfolding.

"Last year earth had a visitor from another planet who had a grudge match which levelled a small town, we learned that not only are we not alone, but we are hopelessly, hilariously out gunned."

"My people want nothing but peace with your planet." Thor stated.

"But you're not the only people out there are you and you're not the only threat." Inova rolls her eyes once more when Fury glances at me; annoyingly Tony interrupted again.

"Threat, you mean like Inova?" Her eyes met with the billionaire’s son in surprise. "Who by the way was your first visitor." Inova watches Fury with distrust as he turns to raise a brow at her.

"You just gonna let him talk to me this way?"

The vamp raises her hands in a gesture of nonchalance. "Don't look at me, I had a small role in raising him but he's not my son. He can say whatever he likes."

"Thanks sunshine." Tony quirked a brow at her approval, Inova ignored his attitude and turned back to Fury to carry on.

"Plus, he's not wrong. If you lied about me what else are you hiding?" Everyone else in the room seems to agree with the vamp, all eyes turn on Fury.

Nick picked up from where he'd left off sensing the mutual agreement with one another. "Look the point is the world’s filling up with people who can't be matched, that can't be controlled." Inova scoffed; Nick did love his control.

"Like you controlled the cube?" Steve retorted then Thor added.

"Your work with the tesseract is what drew Loki to it and his allies. It is a signal to all the realms that the earth is ready for a higher form of war!"

"A higher form?" Steve repeats, concern in his voice.

"You forced our hand we had to come up with-"Once again Tony interrupted.

"A nuclear deterrent, because that always calms everything right down." Really? That coming from him makes Inova slightly proud, he hadn't taken after his dad in the one way that mattered.

"I'm so glad you think that." Tony throws Inova a look of understanding. Steve who was next to the vamp got in between Tony as Nick approached him.

"Remind me again how you made your fortune again."

"I'm sure if he still made weapons Stark would be neck deep in-" Tony cuts in to defend himself from Steve and Nick's criticisms.

"Wait, wait hold on. How is this now about me?"

"I'm sorry, isn't everything?" Steve sassed and the vamp would be lying if she said his tone didn't send a jolt of excitement up her spine.

"I thought humans were more evolved than this?" Finally, blondie locks, something Inova can agree on.

"You and me both blondie!" Inova yells in his direction only to have Nick turn to them both, anger evident in his one eye.

"Excuse me, do we come to your planets, eat people and blow stuff up!" 'Did he really just say that to me?' Inova thinks as anger blew up inside of her, abrupt and sudden.

"Are you guys really that naïve? S.H.I.E.L.D monitors potential threats." The redhead finally spoke up, earning Inova's complete attention instantly as she had almost forgotten Natasha was even in the room.

"Like you Romanoff?" Inova sneers in her direction. "S.H.I.E.L.D doesn't monitor potential threats, it tracks them, hunts them down and uses them against their will." Natasha invades her space without thought.

"If you're referring to your particular experience, maybe think about how innocent you really are before you make any assumptions." Inova stepped closer to her out of instinct. Each of the women containing a hidden distrust beneath our surfaces, choosing to let it simmer instead of alighting the fumes.

"Captain America is on threat watch?" Banner asked quietly beside them when he along with everyone else saw the tension the ladies were glaring at each other with.

"We all are." Romanoff stated breaking the staring competition as she addressed the man.

Easily they all continue to squabble Inova with Romanoff and Banner, Steve with Tony and Fury and Thor.

"You speak of control, yet you cause chaos!" Thor ranted.

"Its MO isn't it. I mean what are we a team, no we’re a chemical mixture that makes chaos we're-we're a time bomb!'' Bruce added.

"You need to step away!" Fury got closer to Banner out of instinct.

"What with the Russian Kim possible, live action Hercules, spangles and twilight!" Steve had had just about enough with Tony's shit.

The Captain marched up to Tony fully equipped and ready to teach him some respect, when Inova put her hand to his torso to stop him from advancing any further. When he catches sight of her weary eyes, he steadies his breath to calm down, when his head clears, he backs up so the contact between them ceased. Her hand had been dangerously close to his pec and Inova could sense he was holding back a blush.

Tony continued with a small grin as he stated directly to Steve. "Why shouldn't the guy let off a little steam?" He put his hand on Steve's shoulder and Inova saw the Captain tense as he knocked it off.

"You know damn well why, back off!"

"Oh, I'm starting to want you to make me." Inova sighed, the testosterone was stifling.

"Yeah big man in a suit of armour take that off what are you?" Steve's eyes narrowed waiting for a response.

"Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist." Came the said playboy’s response and Inova saw Romanoff's eyebrow raise as she pulled a -that's not bad- face.

Steve was undeterred. "I know guys with none of that worth ten of you. I've seen the footage, the only thing you fight for is yourself you're not the guy to make the sacrifice play, lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you."

"I think I would just cut the wire." Steve smiled as if the comment came of no surprise.

"Always a way out, you know you may not be a threat, but you better stop pretending to be a hero." Steve retaliated.

"A hero like you, you're a laboratory experiment Rogers everything special about you came out of a bottle." Tony sneered, then just as Inova was about to offer a nice 'a bottle your father helped direct into the right place' a beeping sound caught her ears attention.

"Put on the suit let's go a few rounds." Inova turned her head and tried to make out where the noise was coming from, walking away from the group.

Thor's deep chuckle almost made her lose it, but she didn't. "You people are so petty...and tiny!"

"Yeah this is a team." Banner spoke.

"Agent Romanoff could you escort Doctor banner back to his-" Fury started but never finished as Bruce took the moment to act out.

"Where? You rented my room!"

''The cell was just in case-" Nick tried to reassure the man out of fear... Inova could smell it on him.

"In case you needed to kill me, but you can't I know, I tried." Everyone but the hybrid looked at him shocked.

"I hear you buddy! Although I tried 1,356 times just kept coming back!" Inova chuckled at the memories as she thought out loud while everyone looked at her with 'you're not helping' faces.

"Sorry please continue." She went back to finding the noise.

"I got low, I didn't see an end, so I put a bullet in my mouth and the other guy spat it out. So, I moved on, I focused on helping people. I was good until you dragged me back into this freak show and put everyone else at risk. You wanna know my secret Agent Romanoff you wanna know how I stay calm?"

Everyone freezes.

"Doctor Banner, put down the sceptre." Turning carefully the doctor sure enough held Loki's sceptre in his hand. He stared at it seemingly confused as if he didn't even recall picking it up. With care he put it down on the lab table.

The faint noise suddenly grew faster and then as if by magic it made sense...shit.

They continued arguing.

"Guys! Fury we've got to-" Inova tries to warn them but they were so busy bickering her plea fell on death ears.

"Oh my god." Bruce announced before-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you duckies for reading and for 400 hits, love ya. xx


	8. Boom Go The Avengers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Is she ok?" Turning around Inova stared head on at Maria, whose face remained characteristically stoic despite the genuine concern in her voice.
> 
> Inova explained, "She's a little spooked... run in with the Hulk." now glancing to Natasha who stared up at her with an expression of gratitude. With a sweep of violet eyes, Inova verified the redhead was indeed ok and hadn't been injured. "Nothing’s broken, but she's gonna have some bruises. You're lucky."

The explosion sent all of them flying back in a burst of glass.

Inova's face had gotten cut by a metal pipe which had stupidly decided to fall on her during the blast, her wince was nothing compared to the sharp ringing in her ears. It stunned the senses and threw her off balance completely. She was whining in frustration as her body began to heal the damage done. Over the ringing she heard Steve and Tony, they'd landed beside her.

"Put on the suit!"

"Yep!" Tony and Steve got up and headed out of the doorway to who only knows were. Still Inova growled slicing her hands on the broken shards of glass she had so luckily managed to land on. Upon further inspection of the room she found herself remembering an event just like this one but back in her galaxy. 

Mothers and their children were running furiously through the twisting corridors of the palace of Tamero, away from the threat that had entered. Somewhere in the distance of her muddled brain she could hear her brother shouting out at her, asking if she was alright. Inova failed to answer him instead hell bent on figuring out why the beings around them appeared so afraid. It wasn't until seconds later, after Silus threw a spike ripping through a mother cradling an infant in her arms that Inova remembered; they were running from her. 

From the monster.

Shakily Inova downcast her eyes onto her hands, covered in blood slick from the endless waves of beings she had slaughtered. Bodies slain graced the land further than the eye could see. 

"Sorven, Sorven!" An intense feeling of nausea hit her as she remembered the name, she flung her hands to her ears to block it out, but the screams intensified until the point of becoming unbearable.

Just before she succumbed to madness two hands landed on her own. "Inova? Inova!?" Startled she opened her eyes to see Nick, he seemed rattled and his words were hoarse, but he was alive.

“You’re not there, it’s alright.” He tried to calm her down, seeing the start of her vampirism coming to the surface.

Inova was no longer in the war.

Begrudgingly she accepted his hand as he helped her to her feet, as soon as she was on two feet, he pressed a device in his ear.

"Hill?" Fury commanded over the comm her voice called.

"External detonation number 3 engine is down!" It cut off briefly and Nick was at full attention. "Somebody's gotta get outside and patch that engine!" Maria responded as people scurried around her.

"Stark you copy that?"

"I'm on it!" Nick's commanding mode had been activated and Inova hurriedly decided her hatred of him wasn't going to help these innocent people. She remembered Steve and how honest he was and how pure. He'd never let these people die. If she wasn't gonna do it for Fury.

Then she would do it for him.

"Coulson initiate the first of lockdown in the detention section then get to the armoury." He was giving orders after being blown away by a grenade literally, while she was just standing there uselessly next to him.

"Romanoff?" Nick checked in and Inova remembered Natasha had been closest to Bruce when the place blew.

"We're ok." Inova concentrated on her vitals, honing into the erratic beating of her pulse. There was nothing she could detect immediately wrong with her but listening further was proving difficult as her hearing became dominated by the heavy breathing coming from Bruce or at least who she thought was Bruce. His smell was somehow changing rapidly, morphing from the relaxed cologne to one of pure chemicals.

"Inova?" Nick had stopped walking with purpose and turned to stare at the vamp.

"Something is happening Nick with Banner, I-I can help." His brows raised and she stared back at him with an obvious expression. "What? I have to be the person to kill you, can't do that if your ships being attacked by a group of idiots now can I?" Her excuse was met with a roll of his eyes and she smirked. There really was no time for discussion and he seemed to realise this as he nodded before beginning to walk away, she grabbed his forearm softly stopping him for a second, he stared once again at her.

"Try not to get yourself killed." Inova said and the left side of his mouth perked up a bit in reassurance. As he left, she sped to where Romanoff and Bruce had fell. She had her leg stuck under some pipes. Bruce was still grunting in sheer agony. Inova wanted to go get Natasha quickly to avoid an incident but she couldn't trust that gesture wouldn't make Bruce feel anymore threatened than he already did. 

It could possibly speed up the Hulk's process. 

Inova needed to act fast.

A faint smell was buried next to where the doctor (now hulk) and Widow had been. Inova ripped back some debris until she uncovered Thor, the god coughed shaken a little, so she offered a handout to help him up.

"Widow's in trouble, the Hulk's been unleashed." He nodded and at his reassurance both leapt down into the opening. Widow and Hulk had already vacated the area it seemed, Inova twitched her lip in unease. Already tracking Widow by smell and sounds of heavy breathing.

The vamp stayed close behind the noises knowing all too well how delicate the Hulk could be if he caught Thor and herself. Somewhere not too far there came a roar and some harsh panting before footsteps echoed not just any kind, the fleeing type with big stomps and shattering glass. Both Inova and Thor sprinted to them they were in the vent above as the other guy pushed Natasha to the side.

"Now!" Inova yelled to Thor and he hurled himself at the Hulk knocking them both through a wall. The vamp followed them to warn the frozen people.

"Get out of here now! Unless you'd prefer to be flattened." Her command spurred the workers into action, they began scurrying out of there as if their lives depended on it; which it did. Inova turned to Thor wearily with a smile plastered onto her face as the Hulk got to his feet and glared at the threat. "You got this!?"

Thor beamed in assurance. "Why of course, go get her to safety!" With a nod Inova didn't hesitate to run back to Widow. 

"We are not your enemies Banner try to think!" Thor tried to reason with him and instead of listening the Hulk roared an ear deafening roar then punched Thor.

"Miss Romanoff?" Inova knelt beside Natasha and saw that she was visibly shaking, petrified breaths escaped her small mouth. "I know you must feel a little shocked, but I need your permission to get you out of here," She grabbed the spy's face to look at her with an unpractised softness. "Please."

Natasha's eyes betrayed her confusion and Inova was just as surprised as her, she had never been so kind to someone without motivation. Apparently, her reassurance gave Nat the ability to trust her. At her nod, Inova lifted her up bridal style, cradling her head with a hand. "Hold on." She instructed her hands gripped onto the vamp’s furs tightly as she sped them to Fury's location.

The moment they arrived everyone forced themselves into high alert. Inova eyes rolled when some officers decided to point their weapons. 

"Don't worry, its only us." Their eyes fall onto the red head and the current positions both women were in. Inova licked her lips at those she spotted looking. Nat from her place in Inova's arms scoffed while allowing her to sit her down in the same seat she was on earlier at the glass table. Inova merely grinned at the unimpressed glare.

"Is she ok?" Turning around Inova stared head on at Maria, whose face remained characteristically stoic despite the genuine concern in her voice.

Inova explained, "She's a little spooked... run in with the Hulk." now glancing to Natasha who stared up at her with an expression of gratitude. With a sweep of violet eyes, Inova verified the redhead was indeed ok and hadn't been injured. "Nothing’s broken, but she's gonna have some bruises. You're lucky."

"We need full evac on the lower hangar bed!" Hill switched focus, marching towards the door in her official commander stance, but Inova heard the grating metal on metal. "Grenade!" Maria yelped and Inova managed to catch her in mid-air after she flipped over the railing. Although her booted feet skidded slightly on the ground as she adjusted to the new weight, she caught the agent before a nasty impact. 

Inova smirked at the brunettes closed eyes.

"I really could get used to cradling women all day." The purred comment flusters Hill as she notices how Inova's hand had slipped down onto her suit covered ass. The agent’s professionalism mode switches on immediately as she jumps out of the protective hold to stand up.

Maria clears her throat, "Thanks." afterward coughing and patting herself down. 

Inova acknowledged the thanks but soon realised a foreign presence behind the smoke, Nick noticed too and pulled his gun, but the vampire bid him back with a hand.

They were hers.

Two guys walked through, so she pounced on the first knocking him out with a fist to the head. The other aimed his gun at her and the bullet he shot tore into her shoulder. Inova chuckled at him amused, which he then took as a cue to unload the rest of his clip into her body. In retaliation for her ruined outfit she picked him up by his throat.

His body was thrown onto the glass table.

It didn't break, much to her disappointment, she kicked another enemy in the gut and watched him fly back in pain through the smoke from which he came. Inova had darted up to attack the other one but stopped short when a gun shot rang through the air.

Looking back to where it originated, her eyes met Maria's who held a smoking gun. Inova spat out a bloody bullet from her mouth.

"Good shot love." Her compliment matched her sultry grin and once again Maria concealed her blush with a head turn as she regarded an agent for no good reason. 

Inova's smile at the action was cut short by her wince after taking in the sight of her dress, blood belonging to herself and others had accumulated on it. She glared at the wound in her arm which bled. The bullets weren't wedged in too deep meaning the healing just pushed them out. 

"You good?" The vamp regarded Natasha who nodded simply; still staring at the man on the table Inova had thrown in front of her.

"Inova think you can help out until Stark can fix engine 3?" Inova nodded.

"Sure." With that she ran to the opening on the side of the carrier the corridor was filled with enemy agents all shooting at a target she soon realised was Steve!

"Steve!" They all snapped round and started to shoot at her, she dodged many of their bullets but not all, two men got some pretty good shots in before she'd managed to knock them out. Soon enough she came to a standstill beside Steve. "Are you okay?!" Long black hair flapped viciously against the wild wind as Inova subconsciously told herself to stop asking people that, the answer was obviously no, no one was alright.

Steve, as flustered as ever didn't seem to mind. "Yeah, but it's getting a little shaky up here!" They were shouting quite loudly over the noise of the sky, to make matters worse another explosion went off somewhere close. The resulting effect, well the entire carrier shook sent Inova falling into none other than Steve's arms, she caught him off guard.

"Fury, what was that?" Steve questions into his com and Inova listens in. There's a fighter jet shooting at the lower hangers’ floors, at the agents. It flew past the two of them and shot, Inova dives herself and Steve behind the metal grates and sneers at the jet.

Steve's trying to sacrifice himself, of course. Nothing really changes Inova notices and she stops his martyr act with the simple statement of, "I'll go." The Captains eyes dart to her own, he's about to argue but she silences him. "I'm going. Tony needs you here." Inova waits until the jet comes speeding past again before leaping directly onto it. Steve's slack jawed as she lands atop the jet, she rips the thing to pieces with nothing more than her hands and the Captain thinks he might owe Fury more than just 10 bucks.

Tony's still in the blades. 

Steve moves towards the lever a rumble runs through the ship and in seconds he loses control of his footing. He fell off the platform when the wind catches him in her clutches.

*-*

Inova completed the task of getting rid of the jet relatively quickly and headed back towards Steve's position.

All thoughts were soon forgotten when she caught sight of Steve falling off the edge.

"Do I have to do everything?" The vampire mutters, without assessing the situation or thinking at all she rushed over to him. Every God had her thanks when she sees that he'd managed to grab onto a piece of wire. "Hold on Captain!" Inova pulls the rope until she grabbed his hand.

"Let go of the rope!" He looked at her briefly with a look which read _'are you crazy?'_ which Inova ignored instead catching his other hand in hers. Once she had hold of both, she wrapped his arms around his waist and dove backward onto the platform. Inova didn't have time for a good landing so she ended up tumbling right beneath some red lever. He landed directly on top of her and she gasped at the bullets scraping inside her chest from earlier.

"Cap! hit the lever!" He propped himself on his left elbow and reached up to pull the red lever down. A couple seconds later Tony came collapsing down on the deck below theirs. Inova was heavily breathing with all the pent-up adrenaline, well that and the sight of the blonde haired, blue eyed angel still on top of her was rather nice. 

"Inova are you alright?" In response to his worry she nods her head as he began to carefully attempt to assess her wounds.

"It would be great if you'd stop fawning over me though." The hybrid almost laughed at his heavy blush, but the burning smell of fresh blood awoke her hunger, sharp edged teeth began to prod at the gums wanting release as her pupils shrunk so small, they were undetectable. She wanted to disappear, to follow the scent. Only to realise Steve was staring at her with eyes wide his mouth mumbling silent words he wanted to say but couldn't find the air to. "Steve you seriously need to get off of me!" He jumped to his feet as quick as lightning and in a flash, she was gone.

The halls passed her in a blur, every person she passed was pumping blood through their bodies and it threw her senses off. By the time she finally found the source of the smell, she was practically staggering. Inova had reached the place referred to as the detention centre and caught sight of the slumped body leaning against the wall, for some reason her heart caught in her throat as she watched Fury lower his hand from the man's face.

No pulse, no heartbeat, he was gone.

"Nick." Inova breathed letting the other man know of her presence, her voice barely above a whisper. It had become agonising seeing him a man she'd never truly known dead. It shouldn't be affecting her, but it is, what's wrong with her?

Every one of her instincts screamed drink it, taste it! The utter primal reaction to it all brought up memories of a pass she had tried so hard to forget. 

A version of herself she could never be again.

"No." Fury calmly walked towards her, hands up at her visible teeth. His command got on her nerves who did he think he was telling her not to-

_This is his friend_

"Agent Coulson is down.'' Nick spoke into his earpiece, he tried to walk over and put a calming hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off, got up, spared a glance to Coulson then lost it. 

Spinning round on her boot she marched out of there.

Sick to her stomach.

It was everywhere the deep control one thing had over her made her mad, more than that furious. She didn't breathe scared that if she did, she would inhale some of that crimson weakness and her monster might just come out to play. Nick stupidly followed as she walked into the room which bore a uniformed Steve along with Tony who was getting picked out of the Ironman suit by a team.

Natasha was helping some doctor with a blond-haired guy- who Inova didn't know nor care about- and the sight made her growl. The room was far too crowded, the smell enhanced, and it hit her before she had time to put up a façade. Their naturally curious eyes all analysed her when she burst through the corridor with a certain Nick Fury hot on her heels.

"Inova calm down!" Said woman snapped around to face him a fire burning bright in those violet eyes.

"Is that an order!" Her sneer dared him to respond.

"You know god damn well that if you don't calm down now, you're gonna do something you'll regret!" Inova invaded his space, pushing him backward but his face remained stoic a perfect mask of neutralism, he wasn't in the least bit threatened because he knew she wouldn't hurt him. 

Her eyeline fell onto the rest of the people in the room, more specifically Steve whose stance seemed tense as if he was raring himself to fight again. Inova felt a spike of guilt surge through her, Steve had fought enough. 

Minutely composing herself she waltzed over to the corridor and beckoned Fury to follow her. Once they were in the clear she turned her aggression back on and questioned him. "Why bring me here, why now. You've known where I was all this time and you've never bothered me. Until now, what's different Fury, what aren't you telling me!" The anger had taken control she loathed his stubbornness.

Fury had anger burning in his eye. Such emotions ran high in both, the tension remained so thick that you could practically cut it.

Finally, he cracked. "It wasn't a good idea on my part, letting you go. I did so because we were friends once, your life wasn't in my hands though, it never was."

"What do you mean?"

After a while he showed her into a room, this one lined with monitors. Going toward a specific one he grabbed a file. His features remained cool and collected as he handed it to Inova.

"What is this?" The question slipped from her lips before it was too late.

"It's you." An eyebrow rose in confusion. 

Inova opens the file curiosity leading her actions, she was distracted enough to not take note of Fury backing up slightly.

Pictures. 

The first thing she saw were the pictures.

Filthy and disgusting pictures of an abnormally large wolf hacked into pieces, her ribcage on display and full of organs which appeared to be being extracted. Inova couldn't understand how S.H.I.E.L.D had managed to obtain such horrific things.

A lump formed in her throat. "Mina?" Her fingers begin to tremble as the pictures intensified in gore. They had hacked her mercilessly into pieces.

All those years when she'd been forced to change into the wolf, to give Mina utter control. Inova had had no clue this is what they had done to her.

Her confusion morphed into terror. She could feel Mina convulsing from within their telepathic link. A silent tear streams down the side of her face as she kept flipping the pages.

Over and over until the pain became all too much.

"Mina I didn't know." Inova whispered it to her then glared at Fury with an expression which could only express a small percentage of the hurt she was feeling.

"Turn to the last page Inova."

"Why w-would I do anything you say?" Inova couldn't stop her voice from cracking.

"Just... Do it."

Inova passed all the disgusting reports and images until she got to a set of blueprints. On it was a small machine with a bunch of notes scribbled around it.

"What is this?" Asking the question was pointless, she knew what it was she just didn't understand. A collar with engravings was drawn on the page. It was a moderately intriguing device.

"Do you like it, we engineered it straight after your little incident in Indonesia."

"For me, you shouldn't have." The vamp deadpans her eyes never leaving the depicted drawing.

"Oh no I really had to, I'm sorry Inova but your actions in the past were inexcusable to a lot of people, I’d been permitted to bring you back in for work with the avengers, but for a price. They can't afford you being out of line, the world cannot afford it." He took the device out of his pocket and motioned for her to come over to him.

Inova walked up to him the file still clutched in hand and had to refrain herself from crushing his skull; for Mina's sake.

"It didn't have to come to this Inova-" He whispered under his breath and stared at her with his eye, she cut him off when she turned the file around and practically shoved it in his face.

"Really? You strap this around my neck to suppress her and then what?"

"Then we can assure that this beast isn't a threat to humanity. We can't afford to cover for your recklessness." His response was swift and formal it made the blood inside Inova boil, it's when she knew, she just couldn't get out of this.

Who she used to be would haunt her forever but if there was a possible redemption. 

Inova needed to take it.

**_*-*_ **

After Fury left her, Inova broke down. Her heart ached and Mina's sadness resonated through making it so much worse.

"I'll have to do it Mina. If I don’t, they'll kill you."

"Inova don't be ridiculous. Kill him and get us out of here." The vampire closes her eyes at the words and counts down from three to prepare herself for what she needed to do.

"No Mina, we can't. No more killing, I'm sorry..." The only option was to break Mina's heart. "But you've got to be stopped."

"Stopped? Yo-You don't mean that Inova, I can tell it hurts you to say this to me why are you doing this?"

Inova ploughed through the lump in her throat, ignoring the wolfs cries. "You are a danger to every human being alive Mina, you're a-a monster!"

"You don't mean that Inova, stop saying that!" Her voice trembled.

"I have always thought you to be a burden Mina, you mean nothing to me, my compassion for you has waned and now. It is gone."

"Inova, don't you see? Its him he's turning you against me, you love me!"Inova laughed at her in a belittling way.

"How can I love someone so damaged, all those photos painted you as the truth Mina. Your nothing more than a savage beast!" Her throat tightened at the cold words which left her lips, Inova knew exactly what would hurt her; it was too late to go back now.

"Me the beast! I reflect your own truth Inova, you do this, and I swear to you the moment you take the collar off I will be there, and I will end you! Don't ignore me!" Mina's worst fear is being Ignored, she'd lost the privilege of talking to anyone she fought with after Inova's mother made her a hybrid and tethered her to Inova's soul. Inova promised her that she'd never be ignored unless she wanted to be, what the vampire was doing now made her want to claw at her body. 

It went against every promise she had ever made to Mina.

Although they would never say it aloud, they both knew that the other cared. 

Hearing Mina beg, like a dog from within their link, hearing her scratching at the chains which tethered her, _trapped_ her inside of her mind. It was like being exposed to every kind of torture you could conjure. Like ghosts had begun to mourn and their pained screams could only be heard by you.

"I've got to Mina."

"No please, I'll do anything, just please- don't leave me alone- Please I beg of you. I can change, it can be like before, you could love me again. Just please don't do this!"The chains scraped and groaned but didn't come loose. 

They would never break.

By now Inova was a mess, her tears had stained her cheeks as she fought for full control. 

Inova had to let her go. 

If she didn’t, they'd kill her.

"Goodbye Mina." Inova fought to close their link, it was taking a while because the wolf wouldn't stop fighting.

"Inova! Inova! Ino-"Finally her wails were cut off by the link failing. In relief Inova sagged on to her knees.

It was over.

Over.

Her control had erratically left her, she could feel the scorching heat fighting inside of herself in complete and utter turmoil. 

It felt as if any minute now she would be confronted by her hearts aching, it would escape from her clutches and splatter against the metal floor.

She would let it to If it meant not feeling such an... overwhelming intensity of pain.

When finally, she had mustered the courage to leave the room. It turned out Fury had been waiting for her outside the doors; his little gift to her placed inside a velvet box, as if it were something to be grateful for.

"You ready?" She scoffed at his false attempt at caring.

"Let's just get it done." He nodded mutely and gestured for her to tie her hair back. She did so quickly and allowed him to tuck a strand of loose hair behind her ear with a grimace.

"This doesn't come off, it's waterproof to ensure that. You wear it at all times and with it you work for S.H.I.E.L.D, which means we're permitted to call on you when necessary."

"You forgot to mention the part about disobeying orders, if I don't do the dirty work, they'll kill Mina right?"

"Yes." She couldn't hide the disgust written on her face.

"Well then Fury, what will you have me do?" The only response was a smile which would make even the most fearless of men's skin crawl.


	9. Avengers Assemble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Hey puny!" He stops and looks toward Inova, fury evident in his pupils. "Wanna give me a boost?" The creature huffs at her. Huffs!
> 
> Not giving up she took on a casual stance and stated in a sing song tone, "You get to throw me." At this Bruce's alter ego grinned, his powerful legs already running toward her. Inova could feel the quake of his footsteps running through the ground and marvelled at such a raw power. Why Banner felt the Hulk was his enemy she would never know.
> 
> Well- didn't know- until he grabbed her by the waist, took aim for the building Hawkeye nested in and shot her upward with a strength that forced a short scream out of her vampire lungs.

Inova stood on a platform modelling the so called 'suit' Fury had given her. 

"You've gotta be kidding me?" In response to the phrase her old enemy smirked, he was currently sporting a pretty amused look in his eye.

"What you don't like it?" Inova gave him a look which said it all before turning to the mirror, examining the thing once more.

It was a leather body suit, coloured in a beautiful imperial purple. The whole thing was a massive sin, it was sleeved with gloves included with one of those heavy-duty zips in the front- preferably used in military or agent’s uniforms to avoid incidents with women parts- it wouldn't come undone unless pulled. On top of that it was a seriously tight-fitting thing with no legs, covering her ass of course. The boots Fury had given to her were knee high combats of the same purple colour, with embellished metal silver streaks on the sides. 

Overall, her body looked freaking fantastic!

But then the thought of this being a suit she was supposed to fight in arose.

"You want me to fight in this?" The man gave her a once over.

"Problem?" Inova narrowed her eyes slightly.

"I'm fighting bad guys, not trying to seduce them!" His chuckle resonated through the room.

"I thought you'd like it." Inova rolled her eyes.

"I don't like it, I love it!" She slapped her thigh and hissed. "Thank you." His eyebrows rose sharply. The left one was being pulled down slightly because of the eye patch string, but his surprise was still as clear as day. "Don't get used to it." She dryly commented and got off the pedestal to stretch lightly.

"Time to assemble the team don't you think, we do have a Loki to stop after all." Her hand slapped his cheek lightly to snap him out of his reverie. When he came to, she chuckled and went to the door. Inova was gonna get everyone moving if they wanted to conquer this so-called Prince and save the day.

Plus, she kind of couldn't wait for the reactions the suit was going to get her.

Nick called over his shoulder just before she left. "Just try not to kill my team with your looks, with thighs like those you could give even our boy scout a heart attack!" Inova's only response was to laugh deviously.

"I make no promises!" Stepping out into the hall, she was feeling refreshed. The smell of her craving was still there but she felt oddly determined and... naughty. 

With confidence she took her long charcoal hair and raked it back into a ponytail, taking great care not to leave out any strands.

After she traces Tony's scent to some garage. On the way she had received a ton of glances and stares, letting them all go to her head of course. When at last she spotted him hunched over a workstation, fixing the helmet of his suit she ignored the others and waltzed over to him.

"Mr. Stark."

"Hey vampy." For a second, he glanced up then went back to his work, only to rapidly shoot his head up again gazing at her.

"What?" Inova tilted her head sideways innocently studying him.

"I can't answer, a sexual harassment lawsuit would be imminent and I'm in a committed relationship right now. Also, I really like my nuts to be where they're supposed to be. You know?" He went back to his Ironman head trying to avoid making direct eye contact with her. Instead of giving into her impulses which screamed to tease him she made sure no one was watching them, then kept her voice low to whisper next to his ear.

"You know where Loki is, don't you?" He appeared to be surprised for a second but soon nodded.

"He's at Stark Tower, coming along with us?" Inova nodded and he frowned slightly keeping up his poker face for the agents who may have been curious.

"Go find Cap and tell him to round up Widow, we gotta move in about five minutes if we wanna make good time." He instructed the vampire easily as if he'd always been doing it and she found herself once again proud yet also strangely obedient.

Now on the hunt for a certain Captain, her nose was working on following where his familiar scent was coming from. The smile came easily when she spotted him coming out of what seemed to be his given quarters.

"Steve." His name being called grabbed his attention efficiently, when he turns his head to address Inova he stops short; something else has caught his attention.

"Inova?" He'd stopped in the hall and his eyes were making quick work of the suit she wore. She couldn't hold back her smirk any longer than a minute, he was even more obvious than Stark!

And that was saying something.

Thinking about it Inova couldn't really blame him, he was born in a time where the world was a little more modest. Seeing her right now must have been every Brooklyn kids’ fantasy; once again the thought brought a smirk to her face.

Standing here all day and just watching his rather blatant reaction was tempting, but they had work to do.

"Yes, it's me, and as much as I'd love to have you drool over me all day. We do actually have to save the world at some point."

His hand sheepishly scratched the back of his neck, almost in shame. Inova found the action endearing so tried to make him feel a little better.

"Don't worry, I love the attention." Her response was said smoothly, and he relaxed a bit, especially after she gave him the signature grin. 

"On a serious note however, we have to go find Widow. Tony knows where Loki is and we gotta round up the team. Or what's left of it." He nodded and they set off to find said Widow. Inova made sure to stay beside him to not distract him anymore than she already had. If she happened to be checking out his own narrow waist and perky bottom on his way well that'd have to be her dirty little secret. 

They got to the room Natasha was apparently in and the door slid open on command.

"Time to go." Steve greeted Widow who in turn frowned slightly from her position sat on a hospital bed.

"Go where?"

"I'll tell you on the way, can you fly one of those jets?" Their attention was drawn to the door in the corner of the room which had slowly opened to reveal the same guy Inova had seen Widow with earlier. 

"I can." The blonde announced and with hesitation Cap turned to Natasha. The redhead gave a slow nod in clarification. Silently letting them know he was safe to trust.

"You got a suit?"

"Yeah." Subtly Inova's brow raised but she didn't question anything instead she began to walk off in the direction of the hangar.

"Then suit up." The Captain had made his way to where his shield was being kept and Inova saw an opportunity.

"I'll see you at the hangar." He nodded and took the right turning while she went down the left.

She spotted the jet the team would be riding in and walked onto the ramp. Catching the attention of the young agent who was working on it. Just as she had predicted the man was immediately checking her out, all agent protocols thrown aside.

"Miss Inova! You're not supposed to-" Inova cut him off with a finger to her lips.

"Shh, I'm harmless. Don't mind little old me." To further tease him she sat down in the pilot’s chair and smiled at his dropped open mouth.

Turns out she only momentarily distracted him to the point where he only realised the team behind him when she waved sweetly at them. When he did take notice eventually his voice switched completely to one, he believed held authority. Inova rolled her eyes sauntering out of the chair.

"Hey, you guys aren't authorised to be in here." He explained and you just had to feel sorry for him.

"Son, just don't." Steve interjected with a no-nonsense attitude.

"You heard the Captain, off you pop." He frowned but then rushed out; not wanting to get on the bad side of an avenger. Inova chuckled at the behaviour and noticed the humans looking questioningly toward her.

"I swiped the keys if that's what you're all worried about, also the fuel tanks full." She watched as the blonde guy with arrows held out his hand for her to shake.

"I don't believe we've met." Inova took the hand in a soft grip and smiled.

"Inova, and you?" She introduced herself comfortably.

"Clint Barton." In acknowledgement she gave him the key she'd pinched off the guy. Clint then walked away to the pilot seat and Natasha followed along sitting in the second seat. Leaving both Inova and Steve behind in the back.

"Are you comfortable in that?" The Captain asked, more like mumbled under his breath. His eyes didn't meet the hybrids ones and she assumed he was talking about the suit.

"Captain I assure you this is not my first rodeo when it comes to wearing tight clothes, I'm quite familiar with-" He cuts her off softly.

"I-i didn't mean your suit... I meant that collar." Her face dropped the smile instantly, her hand raising to touch the intruder. He had asked her about something personal despite her appearance and the strange gesture- well it touched her. 

"I'll get used to it." It was an assurance for both, and something about his expression made her think he knew some of the truth behind the collar.

"Cap?" Hawkeye's voice rang out as the jet hummed beneath their feet. He'd succeeded in reminding them about the mission.

"Hey Inova, catch." Widow threw something at her, turns out it was an intercom.

"What do I do with it?" She was puzzled momentarily by the small device. Until she watched Steve be thrown one and put it in his ear. Mirroring him she placed it into her ear and winced as her enhanced hearing adjusted to the device turning on.

"Anyway, we need to go, Tony will be suited up by now." Inova turned to strut down the ramp but then Steve stopped her with an adorable question.

"Aren't you riding with us?"

"Nope, I'm gonna run. Much faster transportation." Within the blink of an eye she patted him reassuringly on the shoulder then disappeared with nothing but a gush of wind.

Inova knew she'd left a confused Steve behind and the thought made her giggle like a schoolgirl with some crush.

*-*

Inova was on the edge of the helicarrier looking down as the wind gently lapped at her hair.

"Hey, come away from the edge!" An agent directed and slowly she turned to him with a huge grin. He repeated his order and she mockingly slid both arms out to the side, gave him a small wave then stepped off.

Plummeting was the action which consumed her in those moments.

It was absolutely exhilarating, feeling the wind violently push against her, "Woo!" she yells as the imitation of freedom became a quick high.

Amongst the clouds the sounds of life caught her ears.

New York.

She headed in that direction, bending the rules of gravity majestically to her will. Her legs pushed against the water of the ocean so fast that she was creating a sort of compression. This compression was basically building a solid path which made it possible for her to run on water.

The faster she ran the harder that false ground became.

So now, Inova pushed her body to a new limit wanting to get to the Tower as fast as possible.

*-*

Inova landed on Tony's Tower in record breaking time, she caught a glimpse of a device on top of it. An old man was watching over it and had miraculously wide blue eyes. He appeared to be under a spell as his pupils heavily dilated- she deduced he wouldn't be standing there in the open if there wasn't some form of protection around the thing.

Leaving it alone for now she hopped down to the landing pad and turned to meet the piercing green eyes of the man they call Loki who in return was staring at her.

Inova ran her fingers through her hair and followed the landing pad until she got to the entrance. Naturally she made herself right at home.

Even going as far as to hum a soft tune.

He'd of course followed her example, coming inside as well.

"This was Fury's plan, to send in his pet to fight his war. Not the best plan was it?" Inova had to refrain herself from laughing.

"I'll make sure to tell him so," Inova had gotten one of Tony's bottles from behind the bar opened the lid and took a deep whiff, as she watched the man, she found herself curious.

For some apparent evil genius, he was so easy to read.

"So, they sent the pet along to what? Scout out the place first, see if it's safe." Unexpected to him she laughs, retorting slowly.

"Do you think you're affecting me by calling me a pet, if so, you couldn't be more wrong." That seemed to confuse him slightly. If his raised eyebrow and squinting eyes were anything to go by.

"Excuse me?" Inova chuckled now, drawn to his boyish traits. It's what her kind did after all. They influenced beings, caused discomfort. They were completely at ease even with the most inappropriate situations.

"The only thing your mockery of my identity has gained you is a highly flattered 'pet' who is currently yearning to pet _you_ like a little kitten." Loki was offended by the comment and quickly showed her how affected he was by trying to target what he thought would be a pressure point.

"I am a king! I will not be mocked!"

"Really? Last time I checked your brother was supposed to be King, not you."

"Thor is merely a complication, he's far too naive to be a true King and your mortal woman should know when something doesn't concern you." Inova laughed again at his words around a swig of scotch.

"God, have you heard yourself speaking. If I had the good fortune to do so, I'd personally taint you." Yet again Inova had shocked Loki.

"Taint me?"

"Oh yes." She sauntered from the bar to walk straight in front of him.

"Oh sweetheart, you've met mortal women, do I really seem so ordinary." This time Loki's shock morphed into anger.

"Your tricks will not work on me, mortal or not you are beneath me in every way!" Inova's response was too quick for him to comprehend. Her booted foot had slipped between his legs and with a simple move she tripped him up and gained the upper hand.

While he breathed on the floor, she straddled his hips and frowned down at him after abandoning her very tasty drink on a table close by.

"Don't fret little kitten I just wanted to prove a point." Loki's breathing had slowed down slightly, and she could hear the pound of his heart beneath its cage. Her next comment was husked in his ear.

"You have no idea what I am, you could have every woman on this planet and still not meet one who will ever slightly compare to me." She was surprised her little distraction appeared to be working. 

"What's makes you so different!" Loki spat.

"You wouldn't have me, _King._ I'd have you... In _any_ and _all_ ways possible." It was only when she heard Tony land on the platform outside that Loki knew he had been tricked.

"Stalling!" He yelled with fury and threw the vampire of off him in one swift movement. Inova could only laugh at him, like he was a child she'd caused to become vex. She lazily swung around in a flip sort of way, finding her feet she immediately went to get her drink.

"You should be used to it by now, sweetheart." Loki sneered at her pitiful tone of affection.

Now with the scotch back in hand she made her way to the door ready to leave; passing Tony. The rings ejected from the ground, slowly taking off his armour he looked to where she stood drinking with a smile.

"He's all yours." Being a tease, she angled her head, so she saw Loki again; she winked and blew him a kiss. When she turned back to Tony, he threw her an arched brow. Inova finished the last bit of scotch and then threw the glass away before answering in a silky tone.

"What? I just warmed him up for you. Go get em, Tiger." Then she leapt onto the balcony Loki was originally on and waited. She was listening to their conversation with her heightened hearing.

When they got into the bickering however she frowned, this was it.

"Careful Stark." She whispered the hope to no one in particular, waiting with anticipation. The fight she predicted ahead of them was going to be messy. This she could tell the moment she heard smashing glass and glimpsed Tony hurtling towards the ground from the window Loki had just projected him out of.

On a sigh, she thought she ought to go catch him, but when a machine followed on behind him, succeeding in dragging Loki down in its way the vamp knew it was probably one of his suit things so didn't intervene; instead she laughed at Loki's reddening cheeks.

A laughter which soon died down when a bright blue ray shot from the top of the tower to the sky.

Yeah it was starting now.

In a split decision Inova leapt over the glass of the balcony and aimed to land down onto the street. Obviously, she had startled many people with a rough landing- she may have created a dent in the concrete- but most didn't appear afraid.

As she rose from her landing position slowly, she couldn't help but shake her head when people pulled out their phones. Literally the sky was being stabbed and they have nothing better to do than stand and gawk. As soon as her mind told her to warn them, a massive rippling sounded from the sky. The fabric of the earth’s atmosphere imploded before everyone's eyes revealing a wormhole.

Inova growled when a bunch of weird creatures began to swarm out. 

They must be the Chitauri.

"Oh great." She whispered to herself then snapped into action. Ironman must have gone through the same phases because she made out his suit flying up there and finally grasped a thread of responsibility.

"Tony I've got your back on the ground but try to keep them up high!" Inova spoke into the intercom.

"Thanks, Inova anything gets past me, make em pay!" Inova turned to the people who watched the scene and knew what she was going to do next would cause panic; but did it anyway.

"Get to safety, quick run!" The sounds of screams echoed around her when some of the strange Chitauri vehicles started to descend into the streets, she snarled then lifted a nearby table from one of those outside sitting areas. The moment the enemy was in her sights she hurled the table at it and watched the explosion with a smile.

It turned into a short routine sort of thing, every Chitauri that Tony didn't explode would be scouted by Inova. She jumped onto the small gliders and took out all the passengers before landing the things unsteadily on the bridge.

Soon enough more and more were flooding in through the portal making their way down to the streets.

"Where the hell is everyone!" Inova's voice strained as she flashed over to a nearby family who were stuck in a car being approached by one of the gliders.

From her new position beside the car she responded to the whimpering families cries by ripping off the door from its bolts.

"Mind if I borrow this?" The dad in the passenger seat shook his head rapidly and Inova did a small spin before throwing it at the glider. It pierced the armour and sliced the beings up.

"You need to get your family off the streets, go to the nearest basement or find a place for cover I'll watch your backs! Go!" They wouldn't stop coming down from the skies. Inova found herself unable to stop thinking about Steve.

Well almost unable, she snapped out of those thoughts when a nearby scream came from the same outdoor café area.

She jumped off the bridge and ran toward the sound after she knew the family had made it to cover. Many gliders got their gunmen to shoot rapidly down at the street corner civilians. The problem was she needed to act quick and the scurrying humans weren't helping. Inova picked up some tables to cover them as she yelled out directions. 

"Get to cover at the Café! Go now!" On her order all the people began to run leaving her to act. She avoided all the firing aimed at her and grabbed onto a glider flying by and yanked it down. With ease she propelled it into several other Chitauri. Smiling at the embers it created and their pained cries of death.

After choosing to hitch a ride on one of the things, to take them out by her own hands, Romanoff's voice finally rang in the earpiece.

"Stark, Inova we're on your 3rd headed North East."

"What, did you stop for drive thru?" Tony sassed and Inova couldn't help but smirk as I cracked the neck of the shooter. "Swing up Park, I'm gonna lay em out for you."

The job was becoming exhilarating once again, it'd been a while since Inova had killed something so long that she almost forgot how good the adrenaline felt.

It was going well until a woman who had gotten her arm stuck under some clutter screamed. She was wearing a beige uniform- probably a waitress- and looked to the vampire with pleading eyes. As an alien aimed its weapon at her.

Inova flashed over to her in seconds, killed the beast and lifted the crap off her.

"Thank you-" Inova smiled at her then cut her off when she seemed to want to say more.

"Get to cover and you'll be safe." With that she ran to the cafe only looking back behind her shoulder when Inova leapt onto another glider.

The vehicle she was intruding on now was being flown by an alien who seemed to have its whole body attached to the steering.

"That's new." The vamp wondered aloud and when she saw the jet with Widow, Clint and Cap inside she cracked the things neck, steered the glider downwards and leapt off into a roll before it touched the ground and blew up.

The agents and the soldier had gone to the Tower for a reason she couldn't fathom. 

Surely, they'd just become easier targets. 

As if on cue a blue spark was shot directly at the jet and hit one of the engines. They were falling so Inova rushed to them using the various buildings ledges to run across. With a massive range of sparks and noises the jet swerved off course, about to hit a building. With one kick to one of the wings she managed to steer it away and to a safer spot just in time. With a flip she followed the wreck and landed on top of the banks ceiling.

Fortunately, they crashed on a pavement clear of civilians just below her.

It was a relief to have them safe, but the fight had only just begun.

Eerily she watched the sky. A massive, beast descended from the wormhole moving in a wave sort of fashion- up and down -it made its way over the broken street dispensing Chitauri along the way which latched onto the buildings side. She hissed at them and the beast; trying to establish her territory.

It was a wolf thing Mina had pawned off onto her. At the feelings which arose upon thinking about her Inova Internally shook her head, jumping off the rooftop when the humans got out of the jet and saw the same sight as she.

Inova got to the ground swiftly landing right in front of the 3 awed humans. 

A rotten smell filled her nose just as she saw Widow reach for her gun, staring past her. Inova flipped in the air on instinct, landing on a Chitauri' driver’s shoulders, she avoided the shots from its friends and crashed it into the ground. Seeing as they weren't dead but slowly trying to recover, she grabbed the driver once again and fractured its spine with one fist. Its crying tone made the vamps heart flutter and she repeated the move on one of the others only changing tactics when the last one decided to shoot her.

Inova released her fangs and growled at it, the gash on her forehead would heal in seconds but that didn't stop her anger.

Inova hauled it above her head watching it squirm about; without thinking she pulled it down and bit into its neck.

The taste was extraordinary, unlike human blood the Chitauri was packed full of iron, the metallic taste made her head spin with adrenaline. She lost all sense of control and drained the creature with a passion until eventually she had bitten too deep and the head fell off.

As it did, she gasped loudly, fireworks erupted behind her eyes. Lifting her head up from where it'd faced the body, she wiped the blood drops off the corner of her mouth and focused on the others speechless and possibly disgusted stares. 

After a few seconds of breathing in and out as if recovering from a marathon Inova just pretended to scan the area instead of addressing what just happened.

"Stark are you seeing this?" Steve was tapping his ear but not looking away from the vampire.

"Seeing," He assures "still working on believing. Where's Banner has he shown up yet?" 

_"Banner?"_ Steve answers the question with the response they all expected in return to the billionaire’s subject change.

"Just keep me posted."

"You guys alright?" Inova asked the three who still looked stunned, she of course had seen far worse and so much bigger being an alien herself.

"You just-" Clint had begun to speak but stopped short and just gestured at the dead corpse.

"It actually tasted better than it looks." Widow shrugged at Clint's pointed glance.

"Yeah. I guess we're alright. You good?" At Steve's tone Inova turned to him, by now she was sure she sported fully dilated violet eyes, fangs made for killing protruding out from her mouth. As she was thinking of an answer another Chitauri lunged itself at her- without even batting an eye she reached around catching it by the throat then ripped the head clean off its body throwing both parts to the side.

Both blonde's eyes widened whilst Widow remained as stoic as ever as Inova licked some of the glop off her violet gloves.

"Honestly I think I found my new addiction." Inova felt hungry. Too hungry. No not hungry, starving. Like she'd been deprived for years and had only been fed this very day. "That's probably a bad thing." She felt the need to inform them on second thoughts.

The pain of her fangs ripping through gums again to enlarge hit her as she watched a group of them fly overhead with Loki on one; that innate hunger burned.

Widow, Cap and Hawkeye got to cover as Inova picked up a car slinging it calculatingly at one of Loki' allies.

"We've got civilians trapped!" Tony informed just as the car struck home and exploded their enemy.

"Me and Cap are on it!" Inova buzzed back licking her lips at the thought of tasting that substance again. It's not like she could help the excitement from rushing out into her voice.

"Loki." Cap muttered as she went to stand by him, then he must have realised what she buzzed through coms because he looked to the two humans worried just as- in a burst of flames and crashes - Loki's fleet shot at the street. There was a ray fired at the three, but Widow shot it's owner.

''We got this it's good, go." Natasha seemed surprisingly calm while she checked the clips in her guns.

"You think you can hold them off?" Hawkeye turned to Cap and gave him a small smile.

"Captain," He pressed something on his bow and his arrow bag did something cool. "It would be my genuine pleasure." Inova grew agitated just standing around stationary and not killing anything.

"Well, if we're done with the chit chat, I'd really like to give the Chitauri a taste of their own medicine." Spotting another fleet incoming she precisely timed the moment to grab onto one of the gliders after a small jump.

"Coming cap!?" Her bright laugh echoed in the Captains ears.

"She's definitely something." Inova heard Cap say before he too jumped off the bridge onto a bus did a roll, then as it exploded jumped onto a car doing a spin, landing perfectly on his feet afterward going full sprint.

"Fuck me." Inova whispered under her breath in awe. After all this time the surprise of seeing him alive was still fresh. She followed him on her ride, taking out anything that shot at him from the skies.

Then he landed on a police squad car.

*-*

Steve thinks Inova was the most peculiar woman he'd ever met. She was so fearless, the way she fought felt familiar to him in a way he didn't quite understand. Graceful yet so obviously dangerous. 

Steve hadn't found himself so curious since- 

Whatever thoughts of the past he had are quickly shaken off as he lands next to the brave police officers on the streets who were trying to help. The Captain decided it would be best to use their bravery as a strategy.

"You need men in these buildings, there are people inside and they're gonna be running right into the line of fire. You take them to the basements or through the subway you keep them off the streets!" As he finished giving his orders, he noticed the chief staring at him in disbelief.

"Why the hell should I take orders from you!" The discussion got interrupted by a short scream followed by an eruption. Out of nowhere Inova dropped into Steve's arms, he caught her easily his reflexes kicking in, before Inova can say anything else more aliens approach and the Captain has to drop her down into the second officers- also the one who looked more inclined to listen- arms.

Steve beat up the Chitauri who had crowded around him as everyone watched on. When there was only one left, he knocked it out with its own weapon and glared at the Chief.

"I need men in those buildings lead the people down and away from the streets!" The chief directed, clearly not wanting to get on the Captains bad side.

"Adorable, aren't you?" Inova still sat in the second officer’s arms patting his hat like he was a puppy. "Thank you for catching me."

Steve cleared his throat quite loudly and with a glance up at him Inova dropped down out of the guys arms.

"You good?" She patted herself down before replying on a smirk.

"Never been better, and you mister." She taps the man’s nose and Steve arches a brow. "Stay out of trouble, I'd hate to lose a pretty face like you." The words caused Steve's chest to tighten slightly. Did she really mean that or was it for show? Surely her pat to his cheek couldn't mean anything.

"See what you can do with this." Steve threw the gun down at him in annoyance and frowned at him when he caught it. "Come on Inova." The woman had smirked at Steve with shining eyes, as if she could sense his thoughts, he didn't rise to the look simply got back to work.

Inova and Steve ran back to the bridge to help Widow and Hawkeye when she sensed there were far too many aliens around them.

When they got on the bridge, they saw both assassins fighting heroically. The red head used her agility to disassemble her opponents easily, her weapons weren't her only tool and it was terribly fun to watch her get rid of them with only her thighs.

The archer was equally as skilled, moving his bow fluently as he aimed and shot the aliens. As Inova watched his actions closely, he never once missed.

Coming back to her senses, she fought back against the creatures alongside her team. Twisting above their heads in flips, cracking necks and throwing them into buildings. She refrained from taking in anymore blood lest she lose her morals and unleash her true horror onto the battle.

It was a miracle to see lightning fall from the sky in shocking strikes of electric blue, it struck some Chitauri making them drop to their knees with deafening screeches. Thor dramatically dropped after the show and Inova noticed how he clutched his side. It only took her one whiff to tell he was bleeding.

Great.

"What's the story upstairs?" Cap requested from him. He referred to the portal in the few minutes we had managed to earn.

"The power surrounding the cube is impenetrable!" Tony flew overhead following some gliders.

"Thor's right, we gotta deal with these guys!"

"How do we do this?" Widow was straight faced as always when she asked the question.

"As a team." _Aww Steve_

"I have unfinished business with Loki." Thor informed and Inova didn't miss the hurt in his words.

"Yeah well get in line." Inova couldn't hold back any longer, she needed the team to be in tip top condition. Plus, the smell of Thor's crimson didn't really sit right with her.

"You're bleeding." The god turned to her as she glared to where she knew the wound was.

"It's nothing." He assures and Inova sighed raggedly and turns her eyes away from where the wound resided behind his armour, tantalizingly a drop fell to the concrete ground. She licked her bottom lip at the urge to bite which ran through her. The growl that passed her lips as she resisted isn't missed by the rest of the team. Steve throws an incredulous look in the vamp’s direction, but she pretended not to see.

"Loki's gonna keep this fight focused on us and that's what we need, without him these things could run wild, we got Stark up top he's gonna lead us to-" Steve was interrupted by a soft motor hum, in confusion the team all turned to where the noise came from. Surely there wasn't someone driving toward the danger.

Immediately they realised the owner was Banner.

They all head towards him and while he gives the scene around him a raised eyebrow Inova was busy scanning him for injuries.

"So, this all seems horrible." He bluntly put it.

"Nah, you should have seen the hybrid wars." With confidents Inova flicked her ponytails back over her shoulder.

The hybrid wars were not pretty.

"I've seen worse." Widow admitted either choosing to not hear the remark due to its irrelevance or her fear to ask.

"Sorry."

"No, we could use a little worse." Widow assured Banner, Inova knew she was referring to the massive carrier beasts and nodded in agreement.

Steve holds down his intercom. "Stark we got em."

"Banner?"

"Just like you said."

"Well tell him to suit up, I'm bringing the party to you." Rounding the corner smashing through a building was another Chitauri pod carrier, Ironman was leading it straight for them. Thor grunted in disdain and twirled his hammer.

"I-I don't see how that's a party." Widow sighed as Banner started walking toward the thing still in human form.

"Doctor Banner, now might be a really good time to get angry." Steve said aloud, voicing the doubts everyone had.

"That's my secret cap... I'm always angry." In seconds he morphed into the Hulk bashing the beasts head in with his bare fist when it stupidly descended upon the team.

Inova could tell it was gonna fall right over on to them and looked for a cover.

"Hold on." Tony shouted blowing a missile into its side on a piece of exposed flesh, so it imploded. Widow rushed under Caps shield while Hawkeye ran over to an overturned car for cover. Inova merely gawked at the pretty embers while Thor held her back with his hand in front of their faces.

It fell off the bridge onto the outdoor café and Inova found herself feeling sorry for the small business. All at once the Chitauri began to screech at the loss of what one would call their conceiver.

Hulk roared in response dominating the skies echoes, Hawkeye aimed an arrow preparing to shoot at anything, Thor twisted his hammer with determination, Widow put a new clip in her gun and remained as cool as ever, Inova bared her teeth while Cap gripped his shield and Tony lowered down to their level alongside their captain.

What Inova didn't notice is that they were all in a perfect circle, the perfect embodiment of a team.

"Guys." They all followed Widows gaze upward and saw more carriers and Chitauri exit from the wormhole.

"Call it Captain." Tony had requested from Steve, Inova - and all the others- waited for directions from the blonde man needing some form of guidance.

"Alright listen up until we close that portal our priority is containment. Barton, I want you on that roof eyes on everything call out patterns and strays, Stark you got the perimeter anything gets more than 3 blocks out you turn it back or you turn it to ash!"

"Can you give me a lift?" Hawkeye asked Ironman.

"Right better clench up Legolas." Tony and Barton zoomed up in the sky.

"Thor you gotta try and bottleneck that portal slow em down you got the lightning, light the bastards up." With his spinning hammer Thor flew into the air.

"You and me, stay on the ground keep the fighting here." After he directed Widow, he turned to Inova and she matched his stoic expression.

"Inova, I need you to see if you can find a weakness on any of the big flying things- take the things down and report what you find as soon as you find it!" With a curt nod she then speeds off to go and catch another ride.

"And Hulk... smash." Said Hulk let a devilish smile play on his lips, then pounced onto a building taking out Chitauri.

Inova had found the perfect ride, with a full sprint she ran up the side of a building and when she reached halfway, she pushed against the glass diving backwards headfirst onto one of those shelled beasts.

Her landing ended on a barrel roll when she hit the shell and safely landed on her feet. The first observation was how tough the shell was.

"The shells are very solid but not impenetrable, if we want to get through them, I'd advice piercing it with something sharp." Then she began getting shot at and had to avoid hits and snap several necks.

How the hell was she gonna take this beast down?

Pressure points could probably work, she just needed to find one.

The entire thing was metallic, but underneath was an entire fleshy creature. Inova decided to lead with that.

"Um, does anyone see something sharp and tall. Maybe a sword of types?" She couldn't believe what had just left her mouth and shook her head as the question left her mouth.

"Will a streetlight work?" Widow sounded strained and Inova could hear the distinctive sounds of punches being thrown in the background.

"Good idea." When the vamp spots one she jumps off the flying monsters back. The light was ripped from the concrete with a grunt. She put it onto the ground with a clank and had to rip off the top where the light was, so it was nice and pointy with ripped metal.

''Alright now I just have to get high enough for this to mean something." In a second, she reached for the pole and gripped it in her hands easily.

"Barton give me an ETA on the flying whale from your location!"

"Ones about- 1 minute and 45 seconds away from here."

Inova had to run to the building quickly, passing Hulk on the way. A lightbulb came on her head as she took in the sight of his fight with his immense rage. Either she had a death wish or she was feeling brave cause she had no idea what made her yell to him at the top of her lungs. 

"Hey puny!" He stops and looks toward Inova, fury evident in his pupils. "Wanna give me a boost?" The creature huffs at her. Huffs!

Not giving up she took on a casual stance and stated in a sing song tone, _"You get to throw me."_ At this Bruce's alter ego grinned, his powerful legs already running toward her. Inova could feel the quake of his footsteps running through the ground and marvelled at such a raw power. Why Banner felt the Hulk was his enemy she would never know.

Well- didn't know- until he grabbed her by the waist, took aim for the building Hawkeye nested in and shot her upward with a strength that forced a short scream out of her vampire lungs.

As she made it to the top passing Clint, she waved a little at the man. He got distracted of course at her rocky landing which made her drop the makeshift spear. From where she kneels fighting for lost breath her eyes made out his creased eyebrows.

"You're insane." With a newly found smirk her hand made for the tool she planned on using and she rose to her full height.

"Oh darling," In a swift movement she adjusted her grip on the pole, so she held it like an athlete with a javelins spear. "You haven't seen anything yet." Inova watched him shoot an arrow blindly yet still it hit his target. 

"Mind if I ask what your planning to do with that?" 

Inova didn't stop advancing toward the ledge. "Make our lives easier." After the words escaped her, she screamed a warrior’s cry and ran over to the edge.

This distracted Hawkeye momentarily, but she jumped over before she could say anything else. Just as the beast had passed the building.

Inova had timed her jump accurately enough to tell where her new weapon could make the most damage.

"Inova what are you doing!" It was Steve who had spotted her falling dramatically. He sounded like he was going to rush over to help her, preposterous thing that.

**_*-*_ **

Steve saw her falling and got so distracted that it almost cost him his life. He knocked the Chitauri away like a ball and carried on watching the woman.

Her cry of bravery reverberated through the air.

Steve was sure he wasn't the only one who's breath caught in their throat at the sight of her.

Right?

Her legs were tilted back behind her as she delved headfirst for the beast. The _'sword'_ she had created was clutched in her hands as she fell. Steve couldn't help the gasp which ran out of his mouth as he watched her, the monsters shell was pierced with the point and the beast groaned in agony descending to the floor of the bridge right before Steve's eyes.

To his disbelief the force of her descent was so powerful that her pole ripped hole right through the beast and stabbed into the pavement.

It had landed only meters away from Steve.

Inova was atop in a crouch still holding the poles edge, he openly gaped at her like a child who'd seen their first candy store. She was getting up from her position finally strutting off the things back, down its face; all the while smirking at him. 

"Close your mouth Steven, you'll catch flies." Steve met those gleaming purple eyes head on.

"That was..." The words to describe the event he had just witnessed were limitless.

"I know," She flicked her hair out of her face. "I'm amazing."

For a second Steve forgot about the crisis, only a second.

"We should go help Widow." With one last look at the monster behind them Steve nodded, and they took off in the bridge’s direction.

When they landed, they were met with a concentrated assassin pointing a gun at them. For a moment Steve swears he sees a flash of fear in her eyes but when Natasha realises it was just them, she visibly calms down.

"Captain none of this is gonna mean a damn thing if we don't close that portal."

Steve examined the portal in question and feels the need to remind her. "Our biggest guns couldn't touch it."

"Well maybe it's not about guns." 

Inova cleared her throat, "You wanna get up there you're gonna need a ride." The vamp smiled cheekily as she said the words an action Steve raises an eyebrow at.

"I got a ride, could use a boost though." Both vamp and Captain followed the spy's line of vision and saw a fleet of gliders riding in their direction.

"You sure about this?" Steve asked the red head and she shrugged.

"Yeah it's gonna be fun." He crouches with the shield positioned upward with Inova out of the way, the spy did a run up and skilfully jumped off the car, onto the shield and caught onto one of the gliders. 

The remaining two members of the team head back into the fight.

*-*

Steve gave Inova a breathless thank you when she ripped an alien which was about to attack him in half.

"Come on." Inova ushers him in the direction of more enemies and they set off to fight again. 

Widow spoke to Erik Selvik at the Tower after jumping off the glider.

Hulk and Thor took down another carrier.

Ironman dominated the skies along with Hawkeye who had his back.

Cap and Inova held they're ground.

*-*

Some Chitauri attempted to hurt cap but Inova wrestled it off him killing it with her hands.

"Cap there's a bank on 42nd past Madison, they cornered a lot of civilians in there!" His intercom buzzed as he got up on his feet.

"We're on it!" Cap waved to catch Inova's attention who strut over to him after throwing the dead alien to the ground. As she grew closer to him, she raised an eyebrow at the heavy rise and fall of his chest, when their eyes met, she raised her left hand to his chest in a silent show of concern. 

"I'm good, let's go." Inova did as she was told without hesitance.

He jumped through the bank window followed swiftly by Inova. He slung his shield at one, she hit another throwing it across the room then looked to Steve. One tried to shoot at him, so he leapt behind a table, kicking it towards the being so it got squashed between it and the railing. He punched the other then tossed it over the railing, the people below yelped.

"Inova clear everyone out!" Gracefully she jumped down to the lower level, everyone below was wide eyed and terrified and Inova wanted to help them. An explosion sounded from above so intense the vampire couldn't check to see if Steve was ok. In a newfound rush she travelled through the crowd to a closed door some humans were trying to open.

Inova noticed someone she remembered.

"Stand back." The waitress ordered the people, all at once they turned around slowly edging away from the door as Inova neared. With a kick Inova knocked it down and told everyone to evacuate. One by one they cleared out, as she guided them to the police safety, she made out Steve staggering off a car in all the rubble. She was about to go to him when the same lady with the dusty blond hair stopped abruptly as an alien landed in front of the group and attempted to shoot at her. In a quick flash Inova jumped in front of the woman and took the jolt of energy from the blast falling to the ground in the process.

Steve's shield pierced the beasts hide not a moment later as it fell, he came running over, he stood over Inova as she began to recover. When she stood on her own two legs she took in the ash on the suit, apparently it really was durable in all ways. 

The waitress immediately shot to the vamp’s side. "Thank you." Inova was going to smile like before, when suddenly the blonde dragged the vampire by her collar down to her own face in a burst of courage and kissed her on the mouth. The feeling was kind of unexpected, despite the things going on around them the waitress’s lips were soft contrasting to the situation. Inova was shocked, and found herself not knowing what to do, she couldn't exactly talk so instead she may have lowered her head to let the woman enthusiastically carry on. Inova didn't mean to but she practically melted when the woman put her hands up into her hair and started massaging her scalp.

"Inova?" Steve interrupted, reality snapped back to her and Inova pulled back from the woman.

"You're...welcome." The bizarre woman winked at the vampire whilst being escorted away by a police officer.

Inova watched her with furrowed eyebrows as she retreated. After the moment was forgotten she ran to Steve's side checking him all over for injuries. He held his stomach and his breathing was ragged, but he stared at her dumbfounded.

"That woman just-" He began and Inova rolled her eyes and raised her hands in innocence.

"Humans are _very_ expressive Captain." It must have confused him a lot, but the thing was it confused her more. "Want one too?" It was a joke, but his blush told Inova he took it a little bit more seriously.

"Let's go get back out there." A pained roar came from the Hulk distantly, Inova told Steve she'd be a second sprinting off to where the sound came from.

It turned out a fleet of Chitauri were zapping at him at the same time. With a one jump Inova landed on one, clawing and tearing her way through them all before landing directly in front of the Hulk when they had all been slain. 

Both monsters stared at each other for a second, the Hulk nodded his thanks then leaped onto another building. Not thinking about it for a second too long Inova ran back to Steve and Thor. One of the Chitauri' had shot Steve right to the ground, she ripped it and it's friends apart. After they were dead, she let out a victorious growl.

"Stark you hear me we got a missile headed straight from the city."Inova caught Fury's voice talking to Tony in his intercom and shook her head.

She could just tell Tony was about to do something reckless.

"Tony whatever you are thinking, don't do it!" The order was very caring and Inova held back a grimace.

"Nice to see you care, Inova!" As usual he wasn't taking it seriously.

"You're not indestructible Tony, you will die!" Inova was suddenly sweaty suddenly, Tony didn't respond after her comment and her head wouldn't stop spinning with possibility.

 _"OK what do I do?"_ Just as she thought it Widow's voice grunts through their communications.

"I can close it can anybody copy. I can shut the portal down!"

"Do it!" Cap ordered but was stopped by Tony.

"No wait-"

"Stark these things are still coming!" They all looked up at the sky and saw Tony flying straight for them he was going in the direction of the wormhole.

"I got a nuke coming and it's gonna blow in less than a minute and I know just where to put it!"

"Stark you know that's a one-way trip." Inova had no idea what was coming over her, she even whimpered.

"Stark you got a flying whale coming for you!" Hawkeye notified him.

"I got it!" Inova wanted to help so located the beast and jumped onto its face. Obscuring its vision, it roared and tried to eat her, but she stuck her hand in its eye and blinded it when she ripped it out along with the other. Now blind the beast wriggled all over. 

She lost her balance and grip when it knocked her into the side of a building.

"Inova you ok?" Tony's voice rang in her head pulsed through her skin and she felt sick. The hit would have been fatal for a human, there was a very large piece of glass piercing her lung.

Inova wanted to get back on her feet to help Tony but her body was severely damaged.

"I'm fine, keep going!" She dragged herself to the cracked glass with all the energy she could muster, wanting to see what would happen. The whole world seemed to hold its breath. 

Until.

They saw him go, Inova released a rush of air from her lungs- which then disagreed with her and shot a jolt of pain around her body, about fifteen seconds later all the aliens began to fall but Tony had not yet returned.

"Close it." Cap said sadly and Inova was about to howl to properly start the mourning when an object fell out of the portal just before it closed coming in hot. Zooming in with her enhanced sight she saw it was the Ironman her legs strained in great effort as she forced herself to stand.

"Son of a gun." Steve breathed in relief and Inova was going to smile but frowned instead.... he’s not stopping.

"He's not slowing down!" Thor deducts, swinging his hammer to go get their hero but then out of nowhere the Hulk caught the Ironman. Soaring through the air only to then land on a car sliding on the bridge. As the beast lay there, he begrudgingly pulled Tony off him. Steve and Thor ran over to him and Thor turned him over then pulled his face mask off revealing a closed eyed Tony. The vamp couldn't hear his pulse until the Hulk roared in annoyance and his eyes shot open and his beat regulated as the genius gasped.

"What the hell!" Inova fist pumped and yelled in excitement despite the pain at the sound of Tony's voice- and the massive freaking glass shard sticking out of her ribs.

The team looked up at her and she stuck her tongue out.

"What just happened!" Inova was excited and began to sway gently from her place in the building

"Please tell me nobody kissed me!"

That earned him breathy chuckles and Inova decided now would be a good as time as any to go over. As ungraceful as ever she jumped out of the window and landed on a car.

"Incomingggg!!!" Steve's eyes widened as she crashed down. He stared at her with his mouth wide open as she got back up, his eyes portraying his disapproval.

"You couldn't take the stairs!" He frowned like a parent at their child and Inova felt herself getting sick when she cracked her spine back into place and ripped out the shard.

"What's the fun in-" Cutting off her smartass comment she doubled over and puked up her guts.

"We won." Steve announced to Tony breathlessly as he held back Inova's hair which had come loose from its tie and rubbed her back; She sheepishly thanked him.

"Great, hey alright good job guys let's just not come in tomorrow, let's take a day, have you ever tried shawarma? There's a shawarma joint about 2 blocks from here, I don't know what it is but I want to try it." They all chuckled at Tony's behaviour, even Inova after she had stopped throwing up. 

"Not even a trip to space can get you to be serious." She drawls.

"We're not finished yet." Thor reminds everyone in a serious manner. Inova straightened up and gave Steve an apology along with a groan of protest when he tried to wipe her mouth with his glove.

"Okay so...shawarma later."

**_*-*_ **

Loki was beginning to recover when he felt the certain presence of people, peering over his shoulder to face them he came to terms with how completely screwed he was. Clint in the front drew back his bow and arrow aiming it straight at him while Thor held Mjolnir in his hand with Natasha and the sceptre next to him, Steve on his right side holding his shield with Inova standing next to him licking her lips , the Hulk and Tony glared daggers at him as they towered over the rest.

"If it's all the same to you," The mischief maker began. "I'll have that drink now." 

Inova unexpectedly gave the man a roundhouse kick to the face.

One nobody had seen coming.

During Loki's groan of pain, Inova blew her hair out of her face breathing in deeply.

"That's for Coulson," She turned around and everyone thought it was over but once again she turned swiftly and finished Loki with a kick to the privates. He howled.

"That's for- well that one admittedly was for me," She turned and met the gazes of her team. "and the team." She smiles innocently which morphs into a soft sigh.

"Shawarma anyone?"

*-*

A couple days later the gang gathered to go see Thor and Loki return to Asgard. Bruce, Natasha, Inova and Clint exited a S.H.I.E.L.D car. Steve clambered off his old school Harley while Tony got out of his sports car. Inova wore her hair in two braids down her back. She had on dark plum lipstick which made those violet eyes pop along with a dark purple bomber jacket and a black bodycon dress, black ankle boots too.

She hugged Tony, Thor, and Steve, even going as far as to smile at Loki. The vampire relished in his confusion once again.

"How are your balls?" Her tease encouraged his barely contained fire wrath. "Oh, I'm sorry. What was that?" Inova mocked further.

As she stepped away from the two, Tony stepped in and gave Thor the tesseract who then placed it in some tech thingy. Inova blew kisses as they left, Thor smiled to all of them then disappeared in a ray of blue light.

"So where are you guys off to?" Steve asked the remaining 5.

"Well me and Banner are going back to Stark tower, genius's need their play time too, stay in touch guys." Inova waved bye to them as they left in the sports car- promising Tony she would keep in touch.

Clint and Natasha continued talking to each other, waiting around for Inova whilst she spoke to Steve.

"What about you, where are you off to?" Steve asked the woman, his eyes flicked down to her mouth as she smiles. "Back to Antarctica?" He teases dragging his eyes back to hers and he smiles at her chuckle, the smile pure in its nature.

_‘I did that’_

Inova itched the skin under her collar in an uncharacteristically nervous gesture.

"I think my time in Antarctica is over. Time to get back into the world." Her smile faltered as she remembered she didn't exactly have a choice. Reality hit her harshly as she continued. "I um...I have some catching up to do, you know. It's been a while." Her mumble let Steve know she wasn't exactly happy with that, but he didn't push any further. 

"Right, me too." They share a laugh. "Maybe, if you want, I could swing by, or you could swing by to uh, uh see me. We could... catch up on that stuff together. Only if you want obviously." Steve had gone an obvious shade of pink, his cheeks heating bashfully as he ducks his head and makes puppy dog eyes of embarrassment at her. Inova smirks and decided she couldn't part ways with him without a promise of seeing him again.

Especially not with him.

Reaching up on her tiptoes she kisses him on the cheek and nudges him lightly on the shoulder when she pulls back. In a further playful mood, she mimics the action of punching him as if it would hurt on the arm. "I might take you up on that offer, nothing quite like learning history from someone who never ages. Until then you better behave Mr. Rogers, stay out of trouble and all that." He grins at her, the soft rosy blush on his cheeks deepening.

"I'll remember." With a final hug she parts from him, going back to enter the SHIELD issued rover along with Clint and Nat.

Not knowing when or if she would see him again.


	10. Gotta Love Saving The Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She was a tiny little thing.
> 
> Cute mono lid eyes stared at her desperately and black chalk marked a once shiny emerald green dress. Her navy tights bore scattered ladders occasionally, and one of her blue bows had disappeared from the left shoe.
> 
> Such Innocence; Inova instantly sighed.
> 
> "What's the matter dear?" Her eyes grew wider and she grabbed the vamp’s hand with her small soft one.

New York a few days after the battle was on the mend.

Humans gathered round to salvage all they could of buildings, cars and coffee shops. There was such grief in the air and the sight of humans all frowning brought a small pang of humour to Inova's heart.

The vamp clutched a cup of C juice (Chitauri blood) in her right hand, she had been helping with the clean-up crews under directions of Fury since the morning, whilst others gained cuts, bruises and fatigue her body remained calm, cool and collected.

Turns out not many people could find a use for the dead alien bodies apart from her. So, she thought why not turn a negative into a positive right?

Except, right now everyone was really depressed, and it was making her depressed.

Let's just say she tried to brighten the mood.

"Come on guys lift with your legs!" She chuckled merrily as the group of 7 men tried to lift a big piece of rubble.

"Why don't you stop being a pain and come help us!" With a small surrendering gesture her drink was placed down on the ground and as she walked over to the small group- leant down and picked up the rubble in one move- all the men groaned at how easy it was for her. 

Inova just smiled fixing it on her shoulder once it was in place. 

"Where's it going?" One of the men pointed to the skip behind her, she headed into the direction he'd come from and flung the thing into the requested area. The whole of New York looked like a war zone. Her sympathy grew the more she kept staring at all the weak humans, so fragile, so lost. They appeared broken yet still they fought to make things whole again.

"Violet! Violet!" Inova quickly turns at the sound of her human name. Her messy plait had begun to loosen, and now slight curls fell down her shoulders. She brushed the hair away from her eyes and frowned at the approaching little girl.

She was a tiny little thing.

Cute mono lid eyes stared at her desperately and black chalk marked a once shiny emerald green dress. Her navy tights bore scattered ladders occasionally, and one of her blue bows had disappeared from the left shoe.

Such Innocence; Inova instantly sighed.

"What's the matter dear?" Her eyes grew wider and she grabbed the vamp’s hand with her small soft one.

"Mama in trouble, come now!" The vamp didn't have much space to protest considering the next thing she knows their running back in the direction the girl came from. Leading her to the demolished bank, the damage was obvious. Not only had the space whale Thor and the Hulk took down landed in there, but also a lot of damage had also been inflicted from outside it.

"Mama!" A rescue crew is swarming the place, orders are being barked and when Inova approaches the guy the little girl has led her to he smiles grimly.

"Good girl Minka, hi Violet, Tony said you'd probably be around today. Damn good thing he was right." Inova nodded, only just realising that this man was a part of the Stark relief foundation.

"What happened?" He sighs.

"We got three survivors, Minka here found them earlier this morning and alerted my team. We've been tryna get them out but it's no use. The equipment we have isn't strong enough to get to them before it's too late. Three tiers of building ain't getting off without a fight and we can't tell when the rest of the building will be coming down. One wrong move and the entire thing could collapse." Inova was in contemplation.

"One of them is Minka's mother?" The guy - Fred his name tag read - nodded solemnly.

"Don't have the heart to ask the girl where her father is." Inova watched his eyes flick over to the small girl with two ponytails on either side of her head. She was telling the men working on the disaster to pull with every muscle they had. Only stomping her foot when none of the rubble so much as budged.

"Tell your crew to move back away from the rubble, I need room If I'm going to intercept." Inova gave the order simply positioning herself once he'd nodded. He told everyone to get out of the way as the professional was coming through on his talkie and Inova rolled her eyes with a small smile.

Her body stood still once the space had cleared, inside her mind she controlled her pulse to a halt, the world seemed to slow down as she delved into the depths of her mind where time became non-existent.

Inova avoided her telepathic link with Mina and tried not to linger too long on its fading colours. What was once entangled with unearthly blues and Indescribable reds had now begun to fade morphing into hideous greys.

Mina had built up a storm and soon Inova knew she would feel its effects.

For now, she shook off any feeling of unwelcome and basked in the feeling of warmth.

She had reached her link with Saturni, and boy if she wasn't a sight to behold.

Her vibrant colours could warm even the coldest of hearts. Those glowing yet crumbled rock molecules danced in mesmerising ways around her and Inova found herself breathless and not for the first time.

"Hello Inova." Inova jumped at the caress on her head and instantly looked up; all surprise left her automatically when those eyes met her own.

Inova should explain.

Saturni is the Edranian way of saying Saturn (if that wasn't obvious enough). Long ago before Inova landed on earth she passed by the dazzling planet. At first, she took no intrigue finding it's beauty that but nothing else. That was until she saw the woman, unlike anything or any being alive, dressed in nothing but enchanting flowing silks. Dancing in the very rings which orbited round the globe.

Once her eyes rested upon Inova's; those pink hazy orbs began to glow brighter than the sun itself.

Saturni had taken Inova in, that woman. That mysterious yet brilliant being had given Inova shelter without ever touching her physical body. In the space of seconds, Inova had been welcomed on her home planet where she would spend a century.

Saturni was a soul barer, meaning she had the ability to interact with the soul realm. The gift gave her the power to interact with any living being’s soul, which is how Inova and her had come to be friends.

However, the soul connection could only be made in certain proximity, when at last Saturni had no choice but to bid Inova farewell, the ex-princess merely opened her eyes and found herself in the same place. 

Only just passing the planet Saturn in the meteor.

It was one of the most freeing spiritual experiences of her life.

Even if it was just in her soul reality.

Anyway, Inova is now staring up at the light pink being’s face, her own lights up with a smile.

"Hello Saturni, you look as radiant as ever." The being chuckled as she remained afloat within the air.

"You have that tone which tells me you want something dear." The smell of euphoric violets diffused from the being and Inova blushed heavily at being caught out. 

"I may need to borrow the abilities... " Sheepishly trailing off she watched once more as the being chuckled, her robes were blood red today. Just beneath layers of floating silk and lace she could make out her enchanting skin marks.

Patterns of ivory embedded within her translucent skin- she, powerful beyond humanity and yet the being could fold her arms in such a mundane way.

"For..." Saturni prompted and she could only sigh.

"There's trouble down on earth, I've got to help them." Once more the being floated above her head peacefully, not feeling in the least bit helpful or caring.

God how Inova cared for her deeply.

"Then help them." Inova rolled her eyes.

"You know I need your help, what're you playing at?"

"It's boring up here and you hardly visit me anymore. Maybe I'm tired of being used." Her words stabbed Inova literally in the heart. 

Inova had to make it up to her.

"I'm sorry." Her fascinating eyes met Inova's. "I truly am Saturni."

"What do you need the powers for?" _There she is._

"Cleaning up a really bad mess." The being shook her head at the vamp but nonetheless her hands began to luminate in a Violet glow and when it appeared scorching, she placed them over Inova's chest, and she screamed.

The pain was an intense feeling of what could only be described as pure magic. During the pain Inova's body gave way to a power deep within her. She didn't hold back her sweet cry of serenity.

Inova had been blessed.

When she waved goodbye to Saturni and awoke back in the real world, it felt like hours had passed. Instead it was mere seconds.

The crew awaited her next move and without disappointment she lifted her hand and started to call the violets.

*-*

Minka’s mother had been stuck under all those horrible bricks for too long. The young one could barely hear her talking anymore, once the cleaner man had spoken of a strong woman who lifted big rocks.

Minka knew she could save her mama and ran to her, she brought her to the nice man who always gave her biscuits when she helped a little.

The woman was pretty, her hair grew longer than anyone Minka had ever seen- reaching all the way down her back and only stopping at her hips.

The girl would have been jealous had it not been for the woman’s amazing purple eyes. She looked like she had put in those contact things mama uses but then Minka looked at her again and realised that couldn't be the case.

Putting her thoughts away, Minka had to focus, her mama was still in trouble.

What the woman did next was extro-extrodro- brilliant!

Her eyes shut for seven seconds- Minka counted in her head- and when she opened them once more, they seemed to be... more alive.

Her hands began to sparkle! Seriously they sparkled! A bright purple colour and ever so lightly she waved her hand over the air a couple times.

When she'd finished, she stepped back and put her hand down.

Nothing happened abruptly and Minka found her hopeful smile faltering.

Until suddenly, out of nowhere. A beautiful glowing Violet floated down from the sky and landed right on her nose.

"What the-" That Violet woman laughed and when Minka met her eyes, she had a gleam in them.

"Cheer up love! We'll get your mama out in a jiffy!" Her British accent warmed Minka, who was quite familiar with the tone. The younger found her excitement kicking up once again.

Right above all their heads a beautiful cloud had formed, unlike anything any human had ever seen. The cloud was formed entirely of glowing violets.

"Your names Violet!" Minka finally realised, her tone full of giddiness from the discovery. All at once Inova’s fingertips reached for the skies and she smiled once more down at the girl.

"Exactly!" It was all she said before her hand swung down.

As if they'd all been commanded the flowers all descended rapidly. Into the wreck, weaving and wrapping themselves around rubble and massive rocks. Gust of winds gathered at the impact and still the woman knelt not daring to stop yet.

Minka could hear people whooping in support, but the girl could tell that Violet didn't care about that.

All at once the woman stood and raised her hand with another gentle movement. The flowers stopped all action and when she muttered some strange words every violet was flung upward into the air. Rubble pieces were ascended along with them as well as the occasional alien body. Soon more and more nasty rocks were clearing away, and Minka could see mama more clearly now.

"Mama!" The girl couldn't waste any more time. Without thinking she dashed into the mess, between the flowers and went to save mama.

"Minka no!" Violet got distracted momentarily by Fred's yell and looked at where the girl had run into the filth.

_*-*_

"Shit!" The curse left Inova's lips when she lost focus and her control slipped. For a minute all the pieces which the violets had picked up were suddenly now crashing to earth. Inova acted quickly if not fuelled by her new sudden protection for this little girl then Inova didn't know what drove her toward her.

Minka had fallen over something and her face was etched with pain, her tiny outcry made Inova's heart swell. When she saw the massive shard of glass coming for her though the little thing shut her eyes tight and Inova jumped on top of her and held her hand out toward the sky.

Her heart pounds.

Inova's breathing was ragged.

And there was someone close by with a very faint heartbeat.

"Minka, Violet? Are you girls OK?" It was Fred, who's voice was laced with worry yet something else as he stood above the pothole they'd fallen into.

"We're fine." Inova spluttered then with one last look to the girl under her she clicked her fingers and some violets flew down and latched onto the girl’s clothes. Floating her to above underground.

"No! Mama!" Inova silences her quickly with a hand as she followed the laboured breaths.

"I've located her," The vamp informed the crew then remembered Minka and put it into simpler terms. "I'm saving your mother Minka."

"Yay, mama!" I smiled briefly then focused back on the task. Her mother was lodged underneath some rather heavy looking drywall pieces.

"Miss! Can you hear me?" A faint whisper of yes made it to Inova's ears. "I'm going to get you and the others out and of here ok." Another conformation and she controlled the violets to descend and support the foundations Inova was working in to avoid any more collapsing.

When they were secure, she began to take off the heavy pieces manually. Her strength went completely into her actions as she strained her muscles and worked her abilities to lift heavy material.

When at long last it seemed safe to get her violets in the gaps, Inova sent them in to form a protective barrier around the three.

"Get the ambulance ready, these humans need immediate medical attention!" Inova barked her orders and Minka ordered them around too.

"You heard her, go, go, go!" A team started to gather equipment.

A low groan of Minka's name sounded and the girl rushed over when her mother rose in Inova's provided bubble shield. "Mama!" The glee which spread across that little girls face in that moment made this world a little less unbearable. Inova smiled as she began to walk away hanging onto her mother's arm after she was loaded onto a stretcher and wheeled away.

Unexpectedly the little thing turns back to Inova and runs in her direction, successfully lunging herself into the vampire when she was close enough.

"Thank you, Violet! Thank you so much!" Inova beamed down at her, then showing her a rare side of affection, the vamp rose her hand and a small violet flew into the girl’s beautiful hair.

"You're welcome, you brave little girl. You take care of her alright, she's a fragile one." Inova then waved goodbye to her and the violet, they'd both need each other now.

Whereas Inova...

Inova needed a distraction.


	11. Unworthy Of Your Devotion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inova rips her jaw from his hand and wipes the tingling sensation away with a hand. "You are a horror."
> 
> "You think anyone else could understand who you really are? I wonder if he knows, if he was to find out about the war, I wonder what he'd think."
> 
> The woman’s already glaring daggers into his soul. "You tell him, you get close and I swear to god I will-"

Inova's life had been surprisingly altered in the upcoming weeks following the New York invasion. Fury had had her restricted to America for now but she had no problem with such events, her time was divided between sweeping annoying the heck out of Nick, whilst Natasha and Clint were on mission or spending moments relearning Tony's history from after she left him.

Hearing about his capture in Afghanistan broke her heart, she could have saved him if she'd been around. Tony had told her not to get too caught up in it, after all if he hadn't figured out how to get out of the cave himself, he would have never become Ironman; he loved being Ironman.

Once he'd assured her it was ok, she forgave herself for not being there and even allowed Tony to run a few tests on her to better understand her abilities. This gradually evolved into the spending time hanging around the lab with Tony and Bruce whilst they tested her DNA.

"This is brilliant, I've never seen anything like this," Banner's eyes were aimed down the lenses of his microscope. "your cells produce crazy amounts of platelets and fibrin which stitch together at an accelerated speed to heal your wounds instantaneously, don't even get me started on the amount of protein in your blood alone, it's like a cocktail mix of every blood type in the world-"

"Yeah, just with a little more Barney the dinosaur." Tony was referring to her blood in a vile, the purple substance shines through the glass and Tony ogles it like its gold. 

"You know, scientists from around the world are kind of freaking out about you." The vampire raises her eyebrow, silently requesting Bruce to say more the man does spinning round in his chair to face her. He speaks matter of fact about the scientists who shun her for hoarding the gift of immortality, not only has the existence of Inova encouraged them it seems but also lunatics who worship the devil believe her to be a goddess figure. 

Jesus Christ.

Inova can feel the ache of anxiety gnawing its way into her mind, this wasn't good. "JARVIS, show me the YouTube videos discussing me right now...please." JARVIS does so respectfully, the list is heavy and thick, not to mention absolutely demented.

IF VAMPIRES EXIST, WHY IS THIS HERO NOT SAVING THE SICK?

HOW COMES MY CHILD GETS TO DIE, WHEN AN IMMORTAL WALKS AMONG US?

MANS NEXT STEP IN EVOLUTION...VAMPIRES?

INOVA'S BLOOD COULD BE THE FUTURE FOR HUMAN MEDICINE.

She asks JARVIS to play the last titled video and watches humans babble about things they don't understand with a furrow in her brow.

There's an old man sitting on a sofa, there's a microphone in front of him and he addresses a woman who looks to be in her early 30s. "Let me get this straight, you think this woman- this so-called vampire is the next big thing in medicine?"

The woman adjusts her glasses. "That's right Daniel."

"And how d'you suppose this."

"You've seen the footage from New York, you've seen what this Inova is capable of. There are traces of her dating back centuries Dan, there is undeniable proof of her immortality. Not only does she can she live forever, but she's got healing abilities out of this world-"

"So, what? The woman heals fast and she lives a long time. How does this have anything to do with modern medicine?"

"Look at the footage Daniel, tell me her very existence doesn't mean something." Footage of Inova getting shot repeatedly by one of the aliens, healing immediately and batting the thing out of the way plays. When it'd been taken the vampire doesn't know, since they were all in the middle of a fucking war zone. The blonde hasn't finished analysing Inova's condition. "You cannot witness a person’s skin completely healing in seconds and dismiss it, if her ability is able to heal any wounds, could you imagine what that would mean for the sick of our generation. We could have a society where illness is completely eradicated." The dread that had set into Inova's body was uncontrollable, did other humans think this way as well, millions had already seen the video.

Daniel leaned back in his chair. "Monica, you're speaking about a possible centuries old vampire who has lived amongst man and embedded her way into our mythologies. You're basing your knowledge of such on theories and blurry footage, when the truth is, we know nothing about her. Who knows what being a vampire costs, if the gift can even be passed on. Inova may be fascinating but your forgetting the heart of her mythology, vampires are killers. I guarantee you, if scientist start wanting people to evolve into what she is, we're going to have a lot of trouble on our hands." Inova turns off the hologram with a gesture and shook her head physically. The man wasn't wrong, there was a reason Inova didn't help the sick and all that bullshit, Bruce and Tony seemed about ready to burst at the seams with questions.

Inova sighed, bouncing off the lab table she brushed the creases from her dress and bid both scientists to follow her to the newly renovated common area.

"Tony, you first."

Tony falls into a comfortable sprawled position on the length of one couch, his hands bracket his chin as his feet swing behind him, but his eyes only have sights for her. "So, where they right, could you theoretically eradicate all disease?" The man’s brown eyes widen in intrigue as Inova confirm that yes, theoretically she could.

Bruce has materialised a cup of tea from god knows where, sipping gently he inquires exactly "How?" Inova could do such a thing.

"The only possible way would be to turn every human in the world into a vampire, but it could never happen I don't do that stuff not since..." As she speaks, she feels her mind unlock a repressed memory, a face she's forced herself to forget pops into her line of vision and her grimace speaks wonders. The violet eyed woman blinks to resettle her train of thought. "Not since _him_." Bruce is befuddled, her doesn't understand who the man Inova speaks of is but Tony, well...

Tony's having a field day. His eyes get immediately wide, he's so expressive Inova shrinks away from him. "When you say him, you totally mean Dracula right. What's his real name again? Uh, Vican-no umm Vivian- what no definitely not, uh-"

"Vladimir." As soon as the name leaves Bruce's mouth, Inova freezes. Her eyes take on a distant expression as they peer off into empty space, she can see him so clearly now. That infuriating grin of his, the length of his wavy black hair, how it bounced tauntingly around his tanned skin. It'd been decades since she'd thought of him, yet it felt like it was just yesterday she'd had to end his life. 

"Wait, so he's real. He exists?"

Inova quashes his excitement right then. "He existed, he's dead, has been for quite some time."

"Who killed him?"

"I did." Inova tells the men of how she'd came to meet Vladimir, how she'd just so happened to stumble across the Romanian who took a liking to her monster. He'd been kind, a sick man who'd been dealt a bad hand in life and Inova was bored and lonely, she'd agreed to make Vladimir her companion. It was a mistake, one she hadn't admitted until it was too late, Vladimir was insane, he claimed he had been cured by vampirism and told Inova he and her would conquer humans together. Vladimir had been obsessively in love with her, thought she was his god to a dangerous extent, the more he killed for her the deeper he believed their connection would get. 

"He terrorized Transylvania, the people there he'd hunt and stalk, treating them like his toys. When I confronted him, he told me it was all for me, and I knew I'd been foolish. He loved me but I couldn't love him that way, underneath it all he was wrong, not meant for this world." Inova takes a steadying breath. "It's why I don't make vampires, why I can't. If you make the mistake of choosing a bad man, you'll always end up with a cruel vampire. I can't play with lives like that, I'm not a god." There was no easy way to dissolve the unease Inova felt, despite saving the world and being reunited with Steve, something kept nagging at her. A feeling she'd overlooked an obvious detail, she just didn't know what it was.

Luckily, another distraction was about to rear its untimely head.

"Sorry for the interruption sir, but I have Fury on the line wanting to speak to Inova." The vampire stared wide eyed at Tony, shaking her head in dismay whilst he grinned mischievously at her. Under no circumstance did she want to speak to Nick right now-

Tony had other plans.

"Go ahead J." Inova hopes her scathing glare had installed the wrath of Edrani herself onto Tony, who’s giggling only ceases when Fury's face becomes apparent in a hologram above the coffee table.

Fury as per usual is scowling up a storm. "Nova, I assume you've seen the shit show which is currently your media presence."

Inova relaxes back into the sofas a heavy sigh leaving her. "If you're referring to the tabloids which slander my ability to be an actual vampire then yes, yes I'm very aware of it."

"Do you plan to fix this image?"

"How exactly am I supposed to do that. Do you want me to go ahead turning every sick child I see into a vampire? If that in fact is your plan, I must warn you that children vampires are like me on my worst day."

"We just need a couple statements from you, explaining to the people why turning them into vampires isn't a good idea. I've invited the Avengers to a charity gala," Tony tries to stalk away, Fury halts him. "Attendance is mandatory, for _all_ Avengers."

The genius shrugs his shoulders. "I have an important meeting that day, I won’t be able to make it." Fury's anything but ignorant.

"JARVIS?" The AI doesn't even hesitate to snitch on his boss.

"Mr. Starks calendar is in fact clear for the rest of the work." Inova cackles at the adorable glare of betrayal Tony aims at the ceiling, Bruce gets up to go about his own devices but ducks his head to hide a smile.

"D-do you work for him or me?" JARVIS does not answer his creator simply booking in the date for the gala once Fury reads it out into Tony's calendar.

Nick's back to ignoring the genius and focusing on Inova the moment JARVIS gets the date down. His face stoic, Inova hates that look. "There's more. I don't know if you went on a bender or just have really crazy copycats, but there's been a series of killings in the past few days that people are labelling your work." The feed changes from the directors’ face to a series of autopsies, the pictures have bodies covered in brutal bruising which would have to be inflicted by quite a strong object yet seemed to be from hands. The final blow however seemed to resonate from the series of bites on the persons bodies, which coincidentally coincided with the mark of a vampire.

Inova is now thoroughly disturbed, Nick continues. "Now, if you have something to get of your chest, now is the time." His kinds words shield his accusation but Inova's heard enough in her lifetime to recognise one when she hears it, her eyes form slits.

"You think it was me." It's not a question, 

"It wasn't?"

The violet of her iris flashes dangerously. "If It had been me Nicholas, no one would have found the bodies." There's a pregnant pause and Fury tries not to anger the vampire any further. When she carries on her voice is filled with surety. "No, this was done by someone who wanted me to see."

"Who?" 

"That's what I'd like to know." 

"You're expected to attend the gala as well."

"Great." She signs off abruptly, fang marked bodies crowd her mind and she end up staring off into space for far longer than she'd realised. JARVIS announces Miss Potts in the penthouse, the woman had apparently arrived to take care of Inova's dressing arrangements.

It turns out the gala had a dress 'inspired by your favourite time period' code, as if Inova wanted a reminder of all the thing's she'd done in throughout the history of man. 

Who in the fuck would accept the presence of an immortal at such an event? Inova thinks it’s a kind of insult but Pepper assures her the ones responsible had no ill intent toward her as it was planned prior to knowing about her existence.

Inova shrugs it off and asks Pepper what era her outfit was going to be inspired by, they end up discussing the matter for quite some time and Inova finds herself liking the ginger more and more.

*-*

Steve Rogers frowned, the entirety of his face becoming a beckon of displeasure as he adjusts the collar on his 60s suits, inspired by the Great Gatsby. His hatred for the book, which glorified the who benefitted whilst the poor suffered didn't seem to be a factor of consideration for the people at S.H.I.E.L.D who'd sent over the outfit. Then again it wasn't as if he'd spoken up against it, the gala was for a good cause, therefore he was there for something good. That was the only thing that mattered, or even made him show up in the first place; never mind Fury's threat.

His discomfort was only enhanced by the pestering Tony, who hadn't stopped yapping his trap for the entire hour they'd been there for.

"-like I was saying if we could effectively make time travel a thing, I am pretty sure I would be the one to find the ultimate equation."

Steve rubbed his eyes in frustration, "Tony, right now I have neither the patience or knowledge to understand you." upon opening them once again he finds his eyes have trained forward to where none other than Inova had begun to descend the stairs.

His back straightens up automatically, something finally catching his interest enough that he becomes aware of everything around him.

The vampire's beauty transcends everyone else. Her dominating presence commands looks even without anyone announcing her arrival. He shuffles uneasily at the sight of men and women alike gawking at the sight of her, which in this case was very hypocritical considering his own eyes had wandered over her frame with an eagerness he’d forgotten to reign in.

The blonde is caught up with the sight of her enough that he fails to notice she'd begun making a beeline over to both himself and Tony. She seems happy enough to see him, which helps his nerves calm, she even smiles at him. "Boys, fancy seeing you here."

Tony's lip quirks upward in his signature smirk. "Inova, I must say you're looking rather ghoulish this evening."

The vamp performed a small twirl to make the dresses fabric spin around and smirked back. "Yes well, I hate these things. I'm not quite as comfortable to public affairs as I used to be."

Steve- mesmerised by the vamp now in time- speaks up. "I think your fitting in well enough. You look beautiful."

His complement pleases her, if the sweet smile is anything to go by. "Not so bad yourself, Mr Rogers. You've got the whole classically handsome thing going on, it suits you. Much better than myself anyway, I suppose I proved everyone right with the whole gothic vampire thing." Tony assures her he wholeheartedly agrees whilst Steve smiles gently. Inova continues, "In truth I just loved the Victorian era, I had fun back then, even if I did a lot of horrible things. I was terribly free... you know how it is."

The Captain finds himself intrigued. It wasn't everyday he got to speak to someone who'd lived through an era older than his. "Why did you like it so much? If you don't mind me asking?"

The vampire seems to consider the question, her eyes fading as she remembers the time. There's no smile on her face as she says, "It reminded me of something good, something I once had. I like to cling to the good things, almost obsessively. I never really learnt how to let go. I think it's the downside of being a vampire who never forgets anything."

Whereas Steve’s expression softened, Tony huffs. "Oh, well that's depressing. Moving past doom and gloom, listen I’ve gotta introduce you to someone tonight and I really dont like them. You have to promise to be on your best behaviour because if you do then i'll be on mine, but then again I won't really be on my best behaviour because sometimes my sarcastic wit just comes out and I really dont like this person so it might definitely come out."

Inova interjects the man’s rambling swiftly. "Tony calm down, who is this person?"

The question only encourages Tony to roll his eyes. "The douchebag who organised this entire event, and if I make him look like the bad guy then I look like the bad guy and you know how that goes- right Cap." The smaller man claps Steve on the back, the blonde blows out a burst of air from his lungs.

"Tony," Steve chastises amused by the genius's flustered speech. "I think you'll do fine, give yourself some credit."

"I'll take your word on that Cap and try. Inova I just really need you to bear with me because he's like adamant on seeing you." Inova raises a brow and even Steve finds the wording a little iffy.

"Adamant on seeing me. What could he possible want with me?"

The billionaire shrugs, his eyes scanning the crowd of costumed people for a face he couldn't find. "I don't know, your charming wit, you're sense of style, the scary murder eyes- he was right here, now he's gone great. " Without saying goodbye, the genius saunters off leaving Steve alone with Inova.

Inova tuts. "Left alone on the middle of the dancefloor, lovely." Her eyes flick up at Steve. "Do you dance?"

For reasons he's unsure about he feels himself blush. "No."

Inova's brow creases and she frowns. "Ever danced?"

"I danced just not very good at it."

She senses his avoidance of the subject, but she’s always been one to want to know what makes a person tick, so she pushes. "Well why not?"

Calling courage to himself Steve shrugs a shoulder and avoids making eye contact when uttering the truth. "Never found the right partner."

An emotion crosses the vampires face, one Steve can't understand. Inova- after her slip of emotion- opens her mouth to speak but is interrupted. "I-"

Natasha sidles up beside them in a stunning 20s inspired flapper dress. The emerald sequins shimmer under the mesmerizing yellow light highlighting her stunning red hair which made her look like a vision. "Nova, Steve." Is her greeting.

Inova composes herself to smile at her fellow teammate. "Nat, you alright you look absolutely stunning."

"Meh it wasn't exactly my choice to be here. I'll make do. Your dress has gotten quite the buzz"

The vamp feigns surprise. "Oh, has it. I hadn't noticed any of the stares."

Natasha grins, whilst Steve sheepishly rubs his nape.

"Everyone's calling you Dracula's mistress."

That makes the vampire cringe. "That's rather unfortunate."

"That's what I thought." Tony reappears shortly after, a drink of scotch in his hand, and a pair of shades over his eyes that hadn't been there before. 

"Nova." The billionaire greets her.

"Tony." The vampire greets back, more tersely than he did.

"I found him, then lost him again." Tony explains, his normally sharp eyes lazily sweep the dancefloor.

"How many flutes have you had to drink?"

"Not too many actually." With his odd appearance he once again pops off somewhere the other have no idea about, Inova wants a reprieve from everything and leads the remaining mates to a table off the dancefloor. The seats are stiff but far preferable to standing, everyone gets comfortable and enjoys being in each other's company without aliens raining down hellfire.

Everything's going swimmingly until the band starts up a new song, one Inova recognises its harmony from the first few notes. The nostalgia hits her full force, hard enough for her sentence to trail off as memories bombard her mind.

There he is, walking toward her impossibly. She yearns to close her eyes and forget every horrid moment, but she finds she cannot, there is no way this could be real. No way the mans tanned complexion could glow the way it does under the light, no way his walk could be the same, no way it could be who she thinks it is. But the evidence is damning, he's spotted her too, his eyes glimmering brown gleam in interest as he takes her all in slowly, erotically. As if he is all too aware of the effect, he has on her, had always had on her.

She's locked in an impossible nightmare, every instinct in her body feeling helpless to stop this one-way journey to doom.

Steve's voice seems so far away when he worriedly asks. "You ok, Nova?" Tony is at the table before she can choke up the courage to answer, in his shadow lurks the man in Inova's nightmares.

"Inova, I'd like to introduce you to Dimitri Count." The hair on her neck stands on end as she stares in wonder at the man before her, she hadn't been able to look away.

His smirk is the same, pearly whites beaming in the mood lighting. Inova holds back the urge to gulp.

"I must say it is an honour meeting you Miss Inova, I've admired you from afar for quite some time."

Inova says nothing, because she can say nothing.

The man is undeterred. "I was wondering if I might perhaps take your hand and invite you to dance. After all it would be a shame to waste such a lovely song. Don't you think." The vampire says nothing in response, because she can say nothing.

Finally, Inova rises from her seat and takes the man’s hand in hers. Her voice remains somewhat steady, but the slight tremor running through it was caught by Steve, whose suspicion of the man grew. "Of course, it would." They dance.

There was a voice inside of her head telling her to not do this, to not give in to the games she knew the vampire was playing with her. Yet, standing their face to face with him she found herself unable to do much but accept his hand with a wary feeling in her gut and be whisked away.

When the song morphs into another and she's finally aware of the magnitude the situation calls for, her eyes narrow in suspicion. "How?"

Her hand snakes its way onto the man’s collar bones, stopping just beneath his throat. The woman alludes to the gesture threateningly for now. She's testing something, trying to navigate where they stood with one another, after all these years.

Jesus, Vlad tilts his head back unguarded- still willing to submit himself to her without hesitation- Inova tries not to let her eyes linger on the skin there. "How do you think?" He asks, his eyes black pools as she meets his gaze once again.

The vampires voice is small when she recalls the very night that haunted her. "I killed you. Tore out your heart and burnt your remains."

Vladimir treats her confession as a joke, humming his indifference toward his own death. "Have you ever been burnt alive, it's not as poetic as the witches of Salem made it seem."

"What do you want?" She growls as he leads them across the marble floor.

"You, my love." Her hands tighten on the lapels of his shirts, she hisses but Vlad smiles with passion that makes her shiver. "You know you haven't changed, not in the slightest way my flower."

Her features tighten in warning, the displeasure of the nickname hits her like a bolt of lightning. "You call me that again and I shall burn you alive, as I did before."

That smirk returns. "And what good would that do you, considering I am standing right here?" The cocky nature he'd always inhibited annoyed her, their nature had never had space nor room for kindness. They'd never been ones to hide their true selves from one another. Her hand whips to his throat, squeezing warningly.

"How the hell are you alive?" She growls at him.

His perfectly arched brow quirks even higher. "I admit that's not the first thing I thought you'd say to me. I thought you'd say something like I missed you."

The comment rises Inova hackles, she tightens the hand on his throat. "I think it's clear who missed who in this relationship. I think it always has been."

He's not in the slightest bit offended, his own hand moves from her hips to the hand she has perched on his throat, his thumb strokes small circles into the skin there. Inova's flesh burns from the touch, yet she can't turn away. "And it always will be my flower."

"You call me your flower as if I have a connection to the name, I don't. I have long forgotten about you...Vladimir." The commanding sneer does the opposite of warning the man, instead he pushes closer to her.

He's purring. "So, you do remember my name, you say such hurtful words, but your tone is sweet my dear." With the space between them practically none-existent, Inova's senses heighten to sniff the scent clinging to him. 

Blood, and none of it his. "You wreak of kill."

He shrugs. "I thought you might like it."

She doesn't. "All those bodies where you. What was it? A calling card to me, a sick ritual meant to impress me?" 

Vladimir pouts like a child. "I hadn't seen you my love, I hadn't heard from you in years. I was worried."

A scoff escapes her, the irony of his words as clear as day. "Worried? _Liar_."

Vlad seems not to care, his grin still strong, eyes full of such yearning. "Oh, don't look at me like that, I adore you and you know it. You are my love, my everything. You were the one who gave up on me. On us."

Inova tries pushing him away, Vlad doesn't yield to her movement, he simply tightens his grip on her, his threat made clear. Their faces are mere inches apart, she whispers her retort into his mouth, hoping to get a fraction of the way under his skin, as he does hers. "I gave up on you because you were a mistake, a monster. You are more fit to wear that word than I ever will be."

Vladimir is clearly displeased, his grip harshens to the point of pain, Inova almost sighs. "You think yourself better than me." He grits out and Inova feels the smirk work its way onto her lips.

"I _am_ better than you."

The song behind them meets a crescendo, dancers around them move subtly out of the way of their tense frames, entangled within one another. Vladimir's features sour, his nose scrunching in disgust whilst his lips curls. "Why, because you think you've made up for all the people you've killed? Slay a couple aliens less fortunate than yourself and then what...suddenly you are the good one, the hero." He's barely pausing to breath, his taunt like daggers to Inova, who knows he speaks some truth. "Is that what men in uniforms will do to you... I see the way he looks at you." The cruel vampire drags her chin so she could lock eyes with Steve, the Captains got his famous glare glued onto the both of them, like he sees injustice or someone he has to fight, and it does things to Inova. Vladimir must see it too. His grip goes unyielding on her chin as he forces her to look back at him. "Even worse. I see the way you look back in return."

Inova rips her jaw from his hand and wipes the tingling sensation away with a hand. "You are a horror."

"You think anyone else could understand who you really are? I wonder if he knows, if he was to find out about the war, I wonder what he'd think."

The woman’s already glaring daggers into his soul. "You tell him, you get close and I swear to god I will-"

Vladimir grins. "You will what? What will you do my love?"

"I never loved you, I couldn't. You're a plague."

This enrages the man, who hisses lowly at her. "Then we are one in the same are we not."

Inova sneers, her voice raising for the first time since the two engaged in dance. "We will _never_ be the same."

Vlad tuts, his love sickened smirk drops from his face, his spins her as the music swells, dipping her in the next movement. "Fine, keep pretending, lie to yourself. It won't stop what you are. It won't stop them."

Her brow arches. "Who is this _‘them’_ you speak of."

"The wolves you tried so hard to destroy. They’re still hanging about."

"This is another lie."

"See for yourself, my love." He leans down to slip a piece of paper into the fabric of her dress, right where the lace leads down to cleavage; she permits the action. Distracted by the curve of his cupid’s bow. Leaning in close to her he whispers the scathing words into her mouth. 

*-*

On the side lines Tony's intensely focused on analysing the scene displayed before him. He can tell something in Inova is triggered, he doesn't know why or how but the two of them somehow know each other. Doctor Banner glances wearily at Tony, who too seems to notice the familiarity with which the vampire engages the man in.

"Bruce," Tony's voice warily pitches in. "you ever watch sesame street as a kid?" The scientist’s brow furrows in confusion as he tears his eyes away from the two on the dancefloor to his genius friend.

"How is this relevant now?"

Tony shrugs but his features are tight, his hand actions jerkier than usual. "Humour me for a second. Remind me again, the name of that purple vampire."

Steve's shaking his head, interjecting the flow of conversation, "Tony this isn't-" but the brunette ignores him, waving his hand to dismiss the Captains words.

"Bruce, the name." He insists and when Steve faces Banner expecting him to be the voice of reason the man too has become worryingly pale. There's no explanation for their reactions being this strong, what did some puppet show have to do with all of this?

"The Count... his name was The Count." Bruce finally says and Steve sees Tony tense up noticeably.

Bruce is apparently suspended in disbelief. "Tony, do you think that's _him_?"

"I know it is."

Steve doesn’t quite understand the situation, but he steels himself, nonetheless. "I should go help her."

"Careful Cap." Steve assures Tony he's not intimidated by the man, but the genius shakes his head. "Not with him, she's more dangerous than you know."

Steve hates the man so fucking much already, he doesn't even realise he's standing up and striding toward the two until he's beside them clearing his throat.

"When you do, I shall find you again." After she's practically swallowed his words, he lays a kiss onto her mouth, the taste of human blood shocking her dormant nature. She only resists the sharp taste moments later, pushing him away sharply the vampire bares her teeth.

The only reason Vladimir keeps his throat that evening is thanks to the boy’s smooth interjection.

"We really don't need to make a scene here Nova, you know better than that." Tony hushed the reminder to Inova at the sight of her fangs, she'd subconsciously been growling at the back of her throat. Steve- ever the gentleman- puts himself between her and Vladimir and blushes delectably when she buries her face into the crook of his neck and breathes him in trying to calm herself down.

_‘This can’t be true. He can't be here.’_

Steve's getting real fed up with the bastard. "Get him away from her Tony."

Inova's breathing is deeper when the man steps back and he takes his place not without taunting her one last time.

"Farewell my flower."

He was hypnotising. He knew the struggle the hunger had over vampires and yet he'd used it against her, she hadn't fed he could smell it. 

Inova stood stock still staring after the man she'd thought had been a corpse only an hour before. Steve's presence did very little to ease the hundreds of guest’s attentions now on her, but she appreciated his effort to make sure she was ok. She simply burrowed her nose into Steve's neck harder and tried to focus just on him.

"Who was that?" Steve whispered in her ear.

"An old friend of mine, I fear he was only here to taunt me."

"It's okay now, you're okay." As Steve rocked her gently from side to side, Inova could only hope he was right.

*-*

Inova follows her past the seedy alley way, this was exactly where Vlad claimed she'd be, outside a rundown strip club.

When Inova gets closer, close enough to catch a scent of the girl, she knows in her gut that Vladimir was right. The girl looks no older than 17, if Inova's guess is correct, yet she pulls out a cigarette from the bra she wears. A car horn beeps in the distance scaring the young wolf and jarring Inova, so she slips a bit on the roof.

In her startled moment Inova's clumsy with tailing and doesn't notice the girl has been slowing down. In a burst of motion, the girl spins round, her eyes crashing with the vamps as she glares upward, both react the same to each other, frowns adorn their features. Inova had startled her, so much in fact that she'd turned around and sped away from her. 

Inova growled low in her throat and quickly set after her, she'd begun chasing the wolf who wore nothing but undergarments past many gawking civilians. The girl ran in the middle of the night without disguising her ability in the slightest.

"Stop!" The vampire ordered the girl, but she didn't slow down, she had to be mindful as far too many people getting in the way so couldn't go to her maximum speed. But the wolf didn't care, she was knocking people out of the way like it was nothing. 

Inova snarled in annoyance and pushed her speed faster, this girl may be a fast one but Inova the original alpha for fuck sakes.

Much to the girl’s surprise Inova disappeared from her line of vision. The next time the wolf glanced over her shoulder she slowed down seeing the woman had disappeared, she had to get a good look behind her. It was in those moments Inova pounced on her from the building she had leapt on.

"Get off of me!" The wolf girl snarled kicking out at the being on top of her. The struggling was futile, Inova had focused all her strength into pinning her down.

Then she tried something she wasn't sure would work. "As Inova, the first alpha. You will do as I say!" The demand was clear and apparently had captured the girl’s attention clearly.

The girl gaped at Inova as if she had walked out of a story book with a white beard and some flying reindeer.

"Bullshit."

*-*

Inova sat in the diner watching Carly Cooper sip the milkshake she'd bought her. The boot of her heel is tapping against the floor repeatedly as she sits opposite the young one, arms folded out in front of her on the table whilst she tries to ignore all the looks, they're getting.

The woman had given Carly her the hoody she was wearing, leaving herself in nothing but a bra and black shorts, whilst the girl wore the hoody over a revealing set of lingerie. Inova thanks Tony for introducing her to baggy clothing.

After a particularly long slurp, the pale girl picks up her burger and takes a bite. "So..." Inova's eyes narrow at her as she begins to speak around her mouthful. "How long have you been abandoning your own kind?"

Inova holds back a growl at the kid’s snarky remark. "I haven't abandoned anyone or anything." Carly scoffed at her, her little hands gripping the swirly glass a tad tighter.

"Yeah right, it's not like the wolves have been praying for your return for a couple decades or anything." Inova sighed.

"I left for a good reason trust me, it wasn't my intention to have the wolf genes spread." Carly raised her brows at her and boy if looks kill.

"Wolf gene?"

Inova nods. "The gene was originally spread to one of my victims, they were supposed to die but instead they were... Reincarnated should we say. Thanks to the passing of my healing ability they survived and went on to have children, their children had children and so on and so on until boom, wolf gene mutates the fuck out of the humans." Carly frowned.

"So, you're truly the original wolf." Inova nodded once more, and Carly's eyes fell to the collar around her neck. "What're you like a pet or something?" Inova resists the urge to let her pride slip away, raising her head defensively as she replies.

"It's complicated." The young wolf's eyebrows rose comically before dropping once more when she realised that was all she was gonna get from the vampire.

"You're aware of the events which have recently been occurring right?" The wolf's change in subject surprised Inova.

"No, should I?" Carly shook her head disbelievingly at the woman in front of her.

"What, you never kept tabs on them? The wolves you turned?" Inova shakes her head as if the answer is obvious.

"Well of course not, I left being the top Alpha at the time because my role was tedious, me rejecting that position was the best option for the wolves."

"How?" The younger wolf questioned her eyes narrowing threateningly, Inova could tell any moment she could pounce on her like a predator completely reversing the tables.

Discreetly Inova adjusted in her seat and went over the best thing to say.

"I gave them a better chance at survival Carly."

Carly growls, the sound noticeably young in Inova's ears. "Really and how's that 'better chance' going for you?" Inova had angered her, violet eyes had gone wide at the deduction.

"You tell me, just what stories have you been told?"

"Enough, trust me I have heard enough!"

"Carly, your kind-" Inova tenses at Carly's low warning growl and corrects herself. " _My_ creation were not supposed to possess such gifts, what you are is my mistake nothing else." Inova hissed back at her as suddenly the glass cradled in Carly's hand smashed between them under the weight of her fury. As she glared daggers up at, the wolf's legs lifted her up so Inova was forced to turn her head upwards to meet the eyes of the now towering girl. 

"We're dying, does that mean anything to you!?" It was Inova who calmly gestured for her to sit back down but Carly ignored the request and continued to yell words of hatred at her. "We are living beings! We didn't ask to be born this way- heck some of us didn't even have a choice - that doesn't mean we shouldn't be allowed the chance to survive. We have families! Are you really so shallow that you can't even realise that thanks to you, we are suffering!"

By the end of her little speech their speech had gotten us an audience, Inova leant back into her seat and suggested they leave.

"Do you know what, I will leave. Alone!" She watched Carly slide out of the booth and head straight for the door, Inova shook her head slightly and reached into her bra. Leaving a big tip to the waiter so she could naturally follow the wolf into the darkness.

"Carly, just stop would you." Still she carried on walking and Inova growled lowly. "Carly for God sake I'm not letting you go!" Still no reply, unless you count her small mumblings of 'just wait till I tell momma about this'.

This girl was really starting to test Inova's patience.

"They went rogue Carly!" The girl stopped hesitantly not quite understanding what or who she was referring to. "One hundred and thirty-seven wolves went rogue in 1956. One hundred and thirty-seven wolves got killed by my hand because they tore hundreds of people apart." Inova exhaled roughly, her guilt of the situation coming up in silent waves.

"I was responsible and ever since that day I swore to never again be involved with packs. Having a pack to me was too much Carly, you're not mistakes. I'm the mistake." Carly turned to the woman and shivered. It took Inova a second to realise once more that they were in such little clothing; unlike her she never got cold.

"Wanna meet my family?" Carly's innocent voice saying such a thing touched Inova's heart.

"I-" Cutting her off was her ringtone, the Scorpions ‘Hurricane’ rings out at that moment and when she answers Tony's voice rang through. Inova held up her finger and signalled to Carly that she'd be a minute.

"Inova where the hell are you!? I'm watching the news and you have no top on, why don't you have a top on?"

"I got hot." Inova teased sheepishly.

"Inova!" Tony scolded, and she had to sigh in defeat.

"Sorry Tony, I may have gotten a little distracted. I'll be back at the tower in ten." She buzzed out and met Carly's eyes.

"I gotta go." The brunette nodded in what Inova hoped was understanding.

"Meet me at the club tomorrow at 9pm, It'll give you time to walk me home after my shift."

"You got it." Carly waved goodbye and set of in a run, Inova watched until she was out of sight, only once she confirmed she'd gone Inova set off to the tower.

When Fury found out about this, Inova was gonna be in some deep shit.

*-*

"What part of remaining low-key don't you understand!?"

"I don't know, the part where I have to care." Fury glared at her with his one eye and she visibly shrunk in her seat. She was currently sat behind his desk at S.H.I.E.L.D's headquarters in Washington DC.

"You've been operating like you're constantly somewhere else lately, what's going on?" Inova frowned at the new affection in his tone.

"Nothing, it's just a phase. I'll get out of it."

Fury frowns, his one good eye creases as well. "You better, I can't afford to have agents in the field without partners to back them up." It was his turn to sigh heavily as he wiped a hand beneath his patch in habit.

"Yes sir." Her sarcasm didn't go unnoticed.

"Go home Inova, get some rest and for god’s sake keep it low-key."

*-*

The next thing Inova knows she's being awoken by the doors slamming shut, her eyes open instantly and she's ready for a full-on fight.

Maria raises her arms at the sight of Inova's fangs.

"Hey, we're here." _oh yeah_

"Right. Home sweet home."

Inova waved goodbye to Miss Hill after the woman turned down her invitation of a nightcap and jumped up the side of the building with ease. Inova climbed up the fire escape and stopped when she reached her window ledge, lifting the slightly cracked open window with ease she slipped silently in.

The apartment was cold.

Yet the heating system worked perfectly.

On a sigh Inova took off the borrowed SHIELD tactical coat she wore and hung it on the coat rack by the place’s door. Which remained locked from the inside, Inova hardly used the door anyway and when she did it was only because she'd returned to the flat during the day.

"Let's get some life flowing into this place." Inova flicked off her high heels and rolled her ankles slowly, both cracked satisfactorily and she rolled her shoulders next.

The wine cupboard was opened, as she picked a very temping red wine to drink, Inova twisted out the cork and smelt the seductive aromas of a 28-year-old classic.

Better to get slightly buzzed then hungry. Although, Inova hadn't eaten in a few days. Something she really shouldn't have been thinking about.

She shook off the feelings and thoughts and stalked into her bedroom; with the bottle of wine of course. 

She stripped down as she ran the tub and filled it with a sweet-smelling bubble bath. The tub was soon full and Inova slipped in immediately feeling her body ease up. The stress from the day soon melted away as she forgot the worlds existence momentarily.

She was alone.

Forever alone.

Inova took a massive swig from the bottle, it's crimson liquids momentarily reminding her of an event which she hadn't thought about in years. 

*-*

_Silus and Inova had been trekking through the planet’s vast sceneries, the sun’s rays had been particularly penetrative that day, so they'd stopped for a short period of time and sat at the blood riverbank._

_Her hair fluttered around her shoulders as the midday wind flew past, Inova could feel his eyes on her but refused to acknowledge the real reason they had gone higher up the red mountain than usual._

_He had wanted complete isolation to envelop them both._

_It took him longer than Inova thought to initially start the conversation._

_"You're... troubled?" A scoff was released without a second thought from her lips as her arms crossed over her chest._

_"I'm fine." Inova lied._

_"No," Silus sighed slipping off his royal boots, putting them on the riverbank. Then dropping both his feet into the crimson blood. "you're increasingly troubled."_

_Inova had to finally admit it," Well I am starting to question some things my dear brother."_

_"Really, such as?" He scooted in closer_ , _waiting for his sister to continue._

_"Well-" Hands fiddle in a nervous gesture to avoid telling the truth too soon. "to be honest, I'm conflicted by mother's sudden interest in starting a war. It's not as if we are in desperate need of one." Silus seemed unconvinced by her statement._

_"Inova," He sung wrapping his arm around her shoulders shaking her slightly. "you are Sorven it's expected for our mother, the_ **_Queen_**. _To want to make sure her top warrior is someone she trusts." Inova revised his point and nodded._

_He spoke the truth and yet, deep down Inova knew there was something he wouldn't tell her._

_*-*_

In frustration the woman threw the bottle across the room and watched it shatter on the marble tiles, its red contents spilt down the walls as she sat in the bath.

Ugh, she'll clean it up tomorrow.

After she washes herself, she speeds around drying her body and her hair, then slips herself into one of her baggy tops, she relaxes against her mattress and curls herself into a small ball; Inova wouldn't sleep tonight.


	12. Wolves In New York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I need time away from S.H.I.E.L.D operations for a while, things that have nothing to do with you have come up." The look in his eye is enough to tell her he doesn't like that answer.
> 
> Inova sighs dramatically. "I'm serious Nick, I have business to attend of which I'd rather you didn't know about."
> 
> His eye squints, lips quirking in amusement. "Right, so this business, does it have anything to do with that girl you've been seen with?" He says it in an accusing tone and in response her eyes narrow.
> 
> "Stalking me isn't appreciated."
> 
> "Think of it more as monitoring,"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so very much for over 700 hits guys, I'm very grateful.
> 
> If you have any questions or queries I will gladly respond to them.
> 
> Kisses xx

The night prior had been one of restlessness, Inova lay awake for hours contemplating one topic.

Her brother Silus.

The vampire wondered how he would look now, if she were to compare him to her own memory of Silus. The one she pictured when she thought of him. God how he'd most likely matured.

He was probably sitting on his throne right that very moment, beside their asshole of a mother and his idiotic father. Inova wondered if he was happy, up there without her; she hadn't had thoughts like this in decades. Seeing someone from her past had done little for her process of moving on and forgetting.

Inova stared unseeingly at the ceiling, thinking of having a chance to return home, she didn't know if she'd take the opportunity to do so without hesitating, but it would be nice to have the option.

The front doorbell going off threw Inova from her depressing thoughts.

Along with a lazy yawn Inova stretched tiredly along the expanse of the bed. Enjoying the peaceful position until the ringing began again, this time with a little more insistence.

She growled lowly in annoyance but got up anyway, despite the chill that seeped in through her bare feet Inova remained composed and rubbed her eyes on the way to the door.

The person outside was rather eager, Inova found herself bugged at their impatient personality. So when she unlocked the doors security system and swung it open growling out a low _'what!'_ she had no idea she'd be face to face with none other than Rumlow, a secret agent of S.H.I.E.L.D (if that's even possible).

Inova leaned on the door frame and glared at him.

"What the hell do you want?" In response the jerk simply smiled.

"Sausages would be nice." On that note he barged straight past her and into the apartment. Inova swore to herself to get him back whenever she had the chance.

She shut her door, jaw clenching with the sudden increase of appetite with a human so close. 

He was a jerk, sure.

But boy did he smell good.

Said jerk currently raided through her fridge in search of some food. Inova shook her head and yelled after him.

"I don't eat remember." She stated dryly, Rumlow's head popped up from behind the fridge door, in his hand he held a plastic bottle full of a dark grey substance and his constant unreadable face -for a second- portrayed disgust.

"What is this?" He asks slowly and Inova didn't hesitate to answer.

"Chitauri blood." He instantly turns his stare from the bottle to her and then back to the bottle. Turning around and putting the thing back into the fridge without a word.

Once he's had a rummage into non-existent food, she speeds so she's right behind him.

His eyes rake up from her bare legs all the way to her eyes as he straightens up so he's once again taller than the vamp.

He didn't intimidate her in the slightest.

"Fury thought it would be a good idea for you to tag along on one of our raids, we've discovered an enemy base in Las Vegas." Inova hummed, processing things.

Then she remembered Carly.

"Will we be back before 9pm?" Rumlow nods and Inova shrugs her shoulders.

"I'm in."

*-*

Inova waited for Carly patiently outside of the girls changing rooms, she could've waited inside, but the thought of engaging in endless discussions about the _'guy with the hundred-dollar bills'_ seemed rather tiresome now. So, she opted for standing against the wall, until Carly arrived.

"Hey," Said girl had come out from the room in a casual grey hoodie and ripped jeans ensemble. The neatly curled brunette hair Inova had seen yesterday had completely disappeared, having been replaced by a messy bun full of rainbow colours.

Her eyes went wide.

"What happened to your hair?" The girl appeared generally puzzled by Inova's comment until realisation struck her and her mouth formed an 'o' shape.

"I wear a wig when I perform, you know protect your identity and stuff." After a while of Inova being silent, Carly sighed. "I also like colour."

Inova nodded.

"We going? We're gonna miss the bus if we don't hurry." Inova assured the young wolf that it was alright.

"My cars outside." She offered in explanation, the girl nods and before she knew it they were in the convertible on the way to Carly's place. The car ride was going smoothly, apparently all the dancing the girl had done tired her out enough that she was only capable of giving Inova directions. While pulling into a space, Inova got her first impression of the little apartment building Carly lived in.

The outside walls were crumbling slightly nearing the edges, and there were a few stray graffiti tags which could easily pass as art littered around. Overall, the atmosphere remained peaceful, it wasn't too far on the wrong side of the tracks, thank God.

"Let’s go up, my folks are waiting." Inova followed the converse wearing girl, all the way to apartment 5b.

Carly knocked on the door twice and stepped back.

Behind the door Inova's ears picked up the muffled voices from about three different- no four different people all shuffling around.

Carly must have heard the same, "Come on ma, it's freezing out here!" On command the door opened revealing a woman who appeared to be in her late thirties, her light blonde hair framed her perfect pale features including her piercing cheekbones.

The woman appears to be the uncanny resemblance of Carly. In her cosy jumper dress the two could pass off as sisters.

Inova waited for Carly to introduce her to her mother but she doesn't, instead the woman stares slack jawed at the vampire.

Eventually she blinks rapidly when Carly pushes past her and into the warmth.

"Sorry, please come in." Inova does as she's told giving the woman a quick thank you while she takes off her grey cloak to hang on the rack, the place is in neat order and designed in a very modern way. As she looks around her sights drift to beams the ceiling is supported with, they're heavy metal things and Inova can't help but think of how much injury one could endure if they were to fall.

The smell of cooking bombarded her senses and Carly's nose twitches under the onslaught of smells too.

"Ma, I told you she doesn't eat food!" The older woman sighed, a hand ran through her locks, she looks stressed that Inova felt the need to try and help.

"I can eat, I just choose not to. So, whatever you've made I'm sure it'll be lovely." Carly's mom smiles back at the vamp hesitantly the same time as a man comes around the corner, in a patched jumper and faded jeans, his black unruly hair dressed into a bun.

"Sammy, love I couldn't find that-" The man’s words trail off as he comes face to face with Inova, he instinctively scents the air at the presence of a stranger in his home. The gesture is so familiar Inova turns away.

The man gawks. "Oh my God, t-this is her isn't it." Said _'Sammy'_ nods her head and the man pulls a face like the one the woman gave Inova earlier.

"Come on guys!" Carly interrupts, "I told you all about her yesterday, this shouldn't be a surprise!" Then Carly exasperatedly turns to Inova and reaches out with a thumb.

"Inova, this is my amazing mom Samantha and my charming dad Darren. Also judging from the smell, they invited our cousins Genevieve and Vincent. Now can we please have dinner!" Life flowed into the place and once Inova'd gotten handshakes from the parents she was led to the main room where the cousins waited.

"Inova! The original wolf in the flesh!" Inova received a hug from a rather jolly man who was bigger and bulkier than Darren and much more enthusiastic.

"You must be Vincent." As he nods in delight Inova's eyes fell to a curvy woman who was nursing a glass of wine on the sofa. Big brown eyes narrowed in the vamp’s direction, as she observed her. The woman's long nails tapped impatiently against the sofa's headrest.

"We've been expecting you." Genevieve spoke and Inova couldn't help the glare from forming in response to the cold tone.

"Let's eat!" Samantha announced out of the blue, clearly sensing the tension.

*-*

So far no one had spoken, around the table all the dinner plates consisted of a variety of different meats. Some were cooked and others hadn't been cooked at all. Leaving slight bloodstains on the white plates. Inova sat at one of the tables ends, Carly at the other with her mother and father either side of her. Genevieve was on Inova's left next to Samantha and Vincent was on her right.

Samantha - bless her soul had poured Inova some wine- the vamp thanked her and watched as she cleared her throat.

Still everyone remained silent.

That was until Genevieve slammed her empty wine glass on the table out of frustration.

"Are we seriously just gonna ignore the fucking elephant in the room!" Vincent tried to convince her to calm down, but his wife was having none of it.

"No! This is the so-called Alpha who abandoned our kind?" Her expression was embedded with fury while gesturing at Inova harshly. "Who was the sole cause of all our suffering. If she hadn't left, maybe we would have had a chance to defend the pack all those years ago! Maybe-"she had started crying in the middle of her rant, evoking Inova's own intrigue. "Maybe Vanessa wouldn't have been taken." Vincent sensing the woman's struggle got out of his seat to comfort his wife.

Inova couldn't help herself, unaffected with being yelled at she titled her head and asked. "Who's Vanessa?" Jen sobbed into her husband’s neck, clutching him close to her shaking frame.

"Hush, hush. It's ok baby." Inova could only frown deeply at the reaction to the mentioned name.

"Vanessa was their daughter." Carly blurted out when it seemed no one else was going to elaborate.

"Carly!" Samantha hissed in the direction of her daughter.

"What mom, she can help!" It was clear there was more than just dinner going on here, a massive secret shared between the small pack and hidden from the outsider.

When at last things seemed to calm down- meaning Jen's sobbing reduced to measly sniffles- Inova took a long sip of her wine and leant back in the metal chair.

After the 'sip' she cleared her throat smoothly and set the glass on the table. "If somebody doesn't explain, I'll be taking my leave."

No one moved.

It was eerily quiet until Samantha started speaking, at first in an unsure tone but then as she continued confidence became clear in her voice.

"19 years ago- before Carly was born-we lived in Sokovia with our baby boy Owen. Everything was great with the pack, my cousin Gen-" She gestures to the woman on her right "She had a daughter, Vanessa who was four- absolute sweetheart. We were happy, peaceful. We'd never hurt anyone outside of our territory, it was not only forbidden but also an act punishable with banishment. We had our animal hunting groups so we never needed to stray. Life in the pack couldn't have been better." Inova took sudden notice of the woman's accent becoming thicker. Her American control slipped making way for a slight European twist in her words.

"Our son, Owen. He was just five years old when the Slokan clan, some pack from the East invaded our land and waged war. In the midst of all the fighting, somehow the Slokan pack won and had enslaved us. One night a wild pack of wolves foreign to us overpowered our strongest in the dens and kidnapped the toddlers of our pack, including Owen and Vanessa. We haven't seen either of them since." After the heartfelt story Samantha had to gulp back her almost full glass of wine.

The room was enveloped in a thick blanket of silence once more. 

Inova clenched and unclenched her knuckles beneath the surface of the table.

Anger had gripped her heart.

"How many wolves in the Slokan pack?" The whole table looked to Inova in surprise.

"When we escaped, there were just over thirty-five. However recently an old friend of mine who managed to escape informed me that the clan has been busy, over 80 wolves now claim Sokovia."

Inova's eyes had turned dark, memories of her time in Edrania played before her eyes as she stared unseeingly straight at the discarded plate of untouched meats.

In the end Inova had reached one conclusion, she had been neglectful of the ones she'd created and now she owed them.

*-*

The look on Inova's face was one of pure anguish, her lips pursed as she clenched the table so hard her knuckles paled considerably.

Carly, just like everyone around the table had to refrain from making any noise.

In this moment anything could set her off.

After several minutes spent simply observing her, Inova's gaze fell onto them and she blinked in rapid succession- as if she suddenly remembered others were in the room with her.

The vampires throat was cleared bringing an end to the silence. "I apologise."

Still everyone remained silent.

Inova opened and closed her mouth several more times.

Eventually she got up, thanked Carly's mother for the meal and rests her hand on my Genevieve's heaving shoulder.

"I'm going to find your children, if it's the last thing I do. This is my promise to you... All of you." Gen broke down again, tears running down her now red face and she breathlessly thanked Inova.

The Alpha in turn nodded toward her and her husband before her gaze fell onto Carly.

"I'll walk you out." The teen offered jumping to her feet, Inova accepted gratefully and they both awkwardly went to the door. Once they were at the threshold and she'd opened the door for her to leave, Carly felt the need to address what had happened.

"You really gonna find my brother?" Inova seemed taken aback by the question.

"I made a promise did I not?" Carly could only shrug.

"I'd had promises broken to me before."

Inova sighed, her features twisting into displeasure. "Cheer up Carly." The woman pats the girls head fondly and Carly can't help but growl. Inova feigns fear and puts her hands up. "I'm going to find him."

Carly's relief made her burst out with a smile and in an impulsive way she hugged Inova tightly. Inova made a choked off noise, her arms flailed at her sides. As if she was hesitant to hug back, realising she may not be the best with physical contact Carly pulled back.

"Thank you so much." Carly leans back against the wall coolly, clearing her throat as she decidedly avoided all eye contact 

Inova's smile is small, almost shy as she regards the teen with wild coloured hair. "You're welcome." Carly's feeling a little more than awkward, so she said her goodbye and softly shut the door. Her brother was going to come home, and she couldn't help the smile that stretched onto her face.

Soon, her family would be complete, and it was all thanks to Inova.

*-*

"Just what are you asking me for Inova?" Once again Inova stood opposite Fury on the other side of his desk. He had been doing paperwork before she came in and from the looks of it, it hadn't been good news.

"I need time away from S.H.I.E.L.D operations for a while, things that have nothing to do with you have come up." The look in his eye is enough to tell her he doesn't like that answer.

Inova sighs dramatically. "I'm serious Nick, I have business to attend of which I'd rather you didn't know about."

His eye squints, lips quirking in amusement. "Right, so this business, does it have anything to do with that girl you've been seen with?" He says it in an accusing tone and in response her eyes narrow.

"Stalking me isn't appreciated."

"Think of it more as monitoring," Inova was not amused at his dry humour. "On a serious note, you leaving isn't necessarily a bad thing in my books. If you keep your appetite to yourself. It's the board that would appreciate it less, you know how they are on matters they can't control."

"I'm not a matter, I have rights!" In frustration Inova pulled at her collar, her childish yell earned her a one-eyed glare and she slumped in defiance before mumbling. "It's not like you're not going to know where I am."

"True, I don't see why you can't get some time off for yourself." He pressed something on a hologram. "Have fun."

*-*

Sokovia was cold, not as cold as Antarctica but still pretty damn cold.

Thank the gods Inova could regulate my temperature for such moments.

She currently wore a white wool dress that was knee high with black around the collar, she matched this with knee high Eskimo boots as white as snow, it was great for cover in such weather. Especially when dealing with hunting a species down as predatory as wolves.

Inova had decided to start in the place where the event had happened. Her plan was a good one despite not being fully thought out.

She was to storm the castle, challenge the man in charge and demand answers.

What could go wrong?

Thinking over it now, that didn't really sound like the best idea, but if she was to get answers, she would need to talk to someone with some thread of authority.

Now, as Inova crouched down to the snowy plains she considered just what exactly she would say to the pack’s alpha. Was she to demand respect in his domain? Or cooperate kindly in her quest for answers? Either way the main objective was to get a lead onto the wolves who stole Carly's brother.

Inova was snapped out of her thoughts at the sight of tracks, too large to be human. Her instinct pushed her to follow them and she did with ease. Inova had to be quick in case the snow decided to fall harder, and the tracks became lost. When she reached a range of woods her senses heightened at the smell of a pack, its earthy tinge caught her nose causing Inova to react in a predatory way.

It was her nature after all.

Her plans urged her to venture further into the snowy maze when the sound of running footsteps caught her ears. On impulse Inova pushed herself to scramble up a tree for cover. As she perched high in the tree, two people came into view. 

"I could have sworn I smelt something." The first said to his partner, the man was covered in only trousers and boots leaving his scarred dark chest bare to the naked eye. His 6ft frame towered over the smaller woman who too wore very little but a pair of shorts and a thin vest. 

Both were wolves.

Despite the height difference it became clear to Inova as their conversation carried on that she had authority over him.

"Well there's nothing here, I swear you keep wasting time like this Max and me and you are both gonna be in the alphas bad books." Inova's ears pricked up at the mention of the alpha.

"I know my senses Bella, there was a smell and I've traced it here. Smelt like the motherland."

 _Bella_ sighed heavily. "No one's here Max and especially not from the Sokovian village, no wolf is allowed beyond the line and no human dares enter the woodlands before hunting season. What you picked up was probably just a wild animal." Max grins.

"We are the wild animals." His comment earned him a smack upside the head, Inova rolls her eyes at such antics. The two were fools.

"If Sydney heard you saying such things, you'd be branded with another scar you idiot." 

Sydney? 

What kind of name was that for an alpha? 

Although ridiculous it seemed however that this name put fear into Max's mind as the very mention of it had him panicking.

"You wouldn't tell him! Would you? Please don't Bella I beg of you." He had gotten down to his knees and begged her like a real dog.

"Get up you idiot!" The command was further emphasised by a slap to the face. "Of course, I will not utter your name to the-" Her sentence was cut off by her own involuntary sniff.

Followed by another, and another.

She must have caught a whiff of Inova much to her displeasure, seemed she was going to have to initiate her plan sooner than she'd hoped.

Max sniffed in similar motions. "You're smelling it too aren't you?" Inova's leaned into a tighter crouch, gearing herself up to pounce, she had to wait for an opening.

"Shut it!" Bella growls whilst Inova ejects her fangs from their pockets and waited.

Bella seemed to trust her senses enough to look up at the trees and it's when they both faced away from her that Inova swiftly leapt from the branch and aimed her descent perfectly to land onto the man.

Max released an 'oof' when she sent him flying to the ground, the vampire successfully grabbed for his head to knock him out, but his strength was underestimated, and he threw her off him by the hips. Inova had landed on her feet and stared at both wolves with a smirk.

"Where is your leader?" Her question was clearly unwanted by Bella who growled ferociously, starting into a charge straight in Inova's direction. Inova avoided her fist and kicked her in the back, the speed matched with her skill sent her falling face first into the snow.

Seeing his partner getting beat must not have sat well with the dummy Max as Inova now had him charging at her full speed. He aimed for her head with a kick but Inova ducked, simultaneously targeting his other leg which he saw coming and leapt over in avoidance. His body recovered after a roll and he snarled at Inova.

Bright violet eyes shone, and Inova could only smile amusedly at him yet again he thought it would be a good idea to charge at her. Inova sped over to a tree and ripped a branch off, once she had him in her sight, she swung it at his thick skull, knocking him out cold.

Bella who was not too far away had tried to provoke her change but Inova was having none of it.

"Oh, no you don't." Pulling a whistle from around her neck Inova blew softly so only Bella would get the full brunt of the noise and it wouldn't inflict pain upon herself. The woman fell to her knees in a fit of pain and covered her ears in agony.

"Pl-please stop!" Inova carried on until the wolf's grunts threatened to escalate into full blown screams.

The little thing panted harshly into the snow, Inova watched tiredly at her struggle until cracking down to business.

"I need you to take me to your pack." An annoying smile was Bella's response before she spat at Inova's boots and snarled.

"Fuck. You." The instinct in Inova screamed _'make her submit'_ but the rational mind in her forced her to focus.

"Either you take me there or I fry your brains again, sweetheart!" In warning the vampire yanked her fire red hair forcing Bella down onto her knees. 

Bella's spitting blood all around and Inova's growing tired of the display. "You dare threaten me, I fear nothing but the alpha so give me your-!" Inova pulled her red locks tighter in her fist cutting her shouting short.

"If you don't do as I say, your alpha will be the least of your problems. For I will strike you where you lay then bring you back a thousand times until you beg me to end your life!" Her whimper was enough to tell Inova she was reviewing the offer.

*-*

Tall, wooden gates obscured Inova's vision of the wolf colony she sensed behind. Bella walked beside her dragging a still unconscious Max like a ragdoll.

"The moment we go in they will kill you." Inova keeps her posture calm as she addresses the wolf on her side.

"Duly noted." Then she waits until Bella howls signalling their arrival unnecessarily. They'd no doubt saw them coming from a mile away. In fact, any good pack leader would have gathered up the warriors at such a sight and would be dressed in battle wear awaiting the threat.

The gates opened to reveal exactly just that and Inova cursed the convenience of it. 

"Unhand our kind she-devil!" Inova smiles at the name and puts her hands up in a non-threatening gesture. Bella growls lowly at the vampire and then limps toward her kind with Max's body- she obtained the injury after their fight and seeing her seems to calm everyone, but a man tarnished in scars wearing rich animal furs.

This hunk of a man's dark skin contrasted to the white of his clothing- a fact which separated him instantly from the rest of his pack.

"You must be Sydney." Inova states playfully, watching as the man rakes his eyes down her frame. Violet eyes roll at the sight and Inova gives him a clipped smile.

The man eventually responds. "You are trespassing." His gruff voice breaks through the air like thunder, Inova's eyebrow raises at such a commanding tone and she reflexively stands up straighter.

Snow falls soundlessly around them as Inova takes in the weapons pointed in her general direction.

"How can I trespass if this land does not belong to you?" Her rhetorical question earns her snarls from all directions. Sydney has come forth enraged by the comment and now the two are mere metres away.

"Your name?"

She remains unnerved by the intimidation tactics. "Inova."

"Why are you here?" Inova's about to relay her objectives to him, finding the children and all that until she remembers exactly who she is and who the domain had originally belonged to.

She sets her spine straight and hardens her expression. "I have come to free the men and women you currently enslave."

"Those wolves have no right to freedom." Sydney sniffs the air inching closer to her. "You are no wolf yet also not human. I have never smelt such a blood type." He's inches away now; so close that the stench of his breath washes over her on his next comment. "What are you exactly?" All Inova's patience wains as his hand travels over her long hair in an unwelcomed caress. Inova allows it for now as there's no reason to overreact just yet.

"I am not of this world." She offers, to change topic onto what she's come for. "I have come for answers of a group who may have stolen children from these parts 17 years ago."

A sharp item digs into her side unflatteringly as she stares down the stupid Alpha. He smirks as he sees all the humour from her eyes leave.

"We don't know what you're talking about." 

Her patience is gone.

The vampire twisted his hand in movements too quick to predict and sent the blade he threatened her with crashing into his body, she avoided his important parts, but it still caused his breath to escape out of his throat. Without sympathy Inova pulls out the blade and put it to his throat.

"Tell me what I want to know, and I'll refrain from killing you and the entirety of your pack." He signalled his pack to stand down as some had transformed into their wolves already starting to growl at the sight of their leader being harmed. 

"You d-dare to threaten me!" He choked out against the cool metal, Inova smirked at the alpha’s cowardice. 

"Answers... or I slice your neck." To emphasise the point, she dug the blade in deeper almost drawing blood, he whined in pain. Inova knew that he was strong but no wolf in human form could heal catastrophic wounds. 

They were different yes, but not as enhanced as her.

"Fine. They came from the outlands and demanded I give them our children, I fought gracefully like any pack leader would. Some of the other clan even assisted in this battle of wolves, thinking they too were of our pack. However, we were not strong enough, they stole our children and made away with them whilst my men and women fought to recover their wounded- most have not yet healed from that night." His explanation was full of such regret and if Inova wasn't mistaken sorrow. On impulse she lowered the blade from his throat and backed away slowly.

"You've lost your children too?" Sydney's eyes portray that of a defeated man as he nods not once taking his eyes away from the vampire.

"We all did." Wolves started whining to commemorate their loss, but Inova wasn't quite convinced.

"A man by the name of Dimitri Count, do you know of him?" Sydney admits to never having heard the name a day in his life. "What of Vladimir Drago?" The air turns sour the moment the name leaves her lips.

"A vampire then, you're with him."

Inova quirks a brow. "What pain has he caused you?" Sydney's a ball of fury.

"That devil is the one who brought them here!" 

Sympathy caused me to do what Inova did next.

"Set your soldiers at ease, I have no reason to fight with anyone today. In fact, I offer my assistance." Ears prick up against the strong snowfall.

"What kind of assistance?"

"The type that requires a blood deal."

"Blood deal?" A random wolf spoke out.

"Yes, your pack leader- Sydney- will agree to the terms and conditions of the blood deal of which he will let me take his blood as a compensation. A deal which includes the return of your lost kids in exchange for the land which you have taken. Plus, the freedom of your captives." Sydney opened his mouth to argue but Inova gave him a sharp glare. "Think wisely of your choice Alpha, although I may offer you redemption now if you refuse, I will be much less forgiving later."

The conflicted man circles Inova once again showing a false display of power- since now everyone knew who was really in charge.

Finally, he squared up his shoulders and gave her his best alpha glare.

"Deal."


	13. The Guilty Remain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "How was what?" Hill shrugged making a non-committed gesture to the air as she leaned back in her chair.
> 
> "You know- isolation. I mean you must have been alone for so many years, how does that...that even feel?" Inova stared at the woman for quite a while, those brown iris's yearned for an answer whether to satisfy her curiosity or to show genuine compassion the vampire was unsure. All she knew is that no one had asked such a personal question about her time alone yet, it was nice to have someone almost care.

The lobby of Drogo industries appeared to have been fashioned around the _Fifty Shades of Grey_ books. It was all metallic greys and glass surfaces, sofas which imitate comfort in appearance but were in fact hard and stayed cold no matter how long you sit in them.

Inova spared another glance to the clock on the wall opposite her and had to fight hard to maintain her composure. 

Her appointment with Vlad had been scheduled for 2:35. The time was now 3:00, the bastard had kept her waiting for almost half an hour.

For the third time in a row the bland receptionist glanced up from her laptop to glare at Inova. The woman in question had ignored her up until this moment, her patience was thinning, and the annoyance was inconvenient.

Inova made sure the woman was still glaring and made direct eye contact with her, as violet eyes met brown ones Inova bore her fangs and made a biting gesture at the woman.

The blonde shoots back in shock, her fake nails tapping away on the phone’s keys. Moments after the same woman puts down the phone and gestures to the elevator.

"Miss Violet, Mr Drogo has sent a car for you downstairs." Inova stands to her full height, then some with her red bottom stilettos. She'd dressed to impress in a form fitting blazer dress, the shoulder pads were big, her hair immaculately pulled back from her face into a curly ponytail.

With the woman intimidated and avoiding eye contact Inova made her way outside and slipped into the sleek Mercedes waiting on the curb. The car drives her down familiar roads in the city, too familiar. 

When it stops finally, she feels her anger reaching a crescendo as she exits. The car had stopped outside the tower, the asshole was in Stark fucking tower. Uninvited and up to no good no doubt.

Inova doesn't even think on how it would look or later come back to bite her in the ass, the vamp slips off her frighteningly expensive shoes and whilst holding them in hand takes a few steps back. With the new distance she takes a running start before leaping up onto the first couple levels of the tower. Ignoring the shocked gasps and cheers below, she lands in a roll and gets to her feet to scour the rest of the building with an inhumane speed. 

The balcony door to the penthouse is open, not that Inova had to enter to see him. The windowpanes illustrated Vladimir sitting down on Tony's plush leather, talking to the billionaire, Bruce and Pepper who Inova hadn't wanted to become involved. 

Tony's the first to spot her, his poker face not letting onto this fact, but his heartbeat does slow significantly as he relaxes in his seat. Inova hasn't been spotted by anyone else yet.

Without wasting anymore time she heads inside the penthouse and scowls.

Vladimir doesn't even startle, he turns to the vampire with a blinding smile. "Oh darling, I was regaling your friends with tales of our past escapades. Care to join us?" Inova refuses to speak, instead she acts on the feelings overtaking her, flashing over to Vlad she grabs him by the neck and throws him into the bar wall on the other side of the room.

Bottles clink together under the thud, but nothing jostles enough to smash, it seemed Tony had learnt his mistake with the last time.

"Inova!" Pepper rushes out in shock. The red head startled at the move but Inova pays her no mind for now. Her eyes are glued to where Vladimir is recovering.

The vampire watches Vladimir cough through a chuckle as he works himself off the ground to his feet. Without taking her eyes off him she asks the others if they were alright. 

"Thanks to you, _god_ I'm so thankful for vampire genes. Well, almost all of them." Tony pointedly squints at the intruder as he places a comforting arm around Pepper.

Bruce admittedly looks a little stressed and Tony's got a careful watch on him as well.

"Pep, do me a favour. Get Happy to take you and Bruce out for a bit okay? I'll call you back when we've concluded this. Also see if Rogers is still in the building and get him to come up."

Only when the two are out of the way does Inova get the upper hand over Vlad again and straddle him on the floor. Her anger has her bullying her hand around his neck, squeezing harshly at his breathing points to deprive him of air. Inova scowls. "What do you want?" 

Vladimir remains infuriatingly unbothered. "Come now my love." His bored tone drones and Inova squeezes tighter because of it.

"I am not your love. I haven't been for centuries."

The elevator swoops open with the slightest gasp of air announcing another's arrival but both vamps are engaged in a heated staring contest. Only hearing Steve's voice pushes her slightly from the daze. "Inova?" The Captain's voice sounds affected by what he sees, Inova's almost ashamed to hear it, if Vladimir wasn't so good at reading her, she'd try to comfort the man. As it was Vlad had noticed her falter, he'd seen Steve's face, he _knew_ who the blonde was.

With a smirk twisting onto his face, he opens his mouth to speak. Inova reigns in her emotions in concern to Steve and presses her nails into the skin of the tanned man’s neck to prevent sound. "Cease your words Vladimir, I won't tell you again." Heading her warning or feeling indifferent to her, Vlad sweeps his hands up from the floor, to begin trailing intimate hands on her bare legs. Inova flinches at the touch but accepts it as the man's slightly docile beneath her. They always were each other’s only calming balm in a world full of madness.

She's back on focus as Tony begins explaining stuff to Steve behind her. "I've come across the wolves you've told me about Vlad. D'you know where they led me… Right back here to you. Now, my question is why you'd ever involve yourself in wolf business. What were you up to all those years, when you allowed children to be stripped from their families?" 

He remains annoyingly unbothered beneath her, his hands settled on her thighs now, settling in midway. "I was after nothing, I thought it might grab your attention. Finally, after all this time. It has." Inova hisses in warning as his hands slide upward, the threat would be frightening to anyone else as her eyes flood with the violet colour the same time her fangs drop but to Vladimir, it meant she was only responsive. 

Steve's on his feet ready to intervene, nearing them. Inova growls in his direction. "Back!" Her eyes soften in the slightest fashion as she notices the flash of apprehension on Steve's face, as well as the evident nervousness. "It's okay Steve, I've got it." It's the reassurance that gets Steve to back away without interfering.

The interaction between the two Avengers isn't missed by Vladimir, his face sours immediately. "Oh, _I see_." He hisses himself ignoring the hand around his throat when it tightens to new pains for as long as he can, eventually he groans under her strength. 

She's had enough of playing his games. "Give me a lead Vladimir, tell me who you sought out to do these things."

"There was a wolf, he had a team. Called himself _Dylan Taylor_ , the Lupians hired him out."

"Where can I find this man?"

Vlad's smirk is back in full effect. "Darling, you act as if I kept tabs on all those filthy creatures. I didn't. That's all I know."

Inova's finished, gaging he'd told her the truth. The woman removes her grip and stands up from her crouch, ignoring everyone for the time being Inova puts her discarded stilettos back on and with clinical movements adjusts her dress to sit on her frame right. The window facing the New York skyline shows an undisturbed city below, she inhales deeply as she speaks to the other vampire. "Leave."

The man doesn’t, instead he smirks ruefully at Steve. A manic glint in his hypnotic eyes. “You have to know. What a perfect killer she is.”

Steve's managed to prevent the intruder from approaching her any closer, wedging himself in-between them, ignoring his words. "You heard her, I'm pretty sure she's not gonna say it again."

Vlad sneers in the blonde’s direction, dismissing Steve's stern gaze to glare over his shoulder at Inova. "Why do you worship them? You a princess in your own right!" Steve's head turns to her, a question forming on his features but the woman's still hiding her face, staring unflinchingly at the window. "We could fix their flaws Inova, take this world as it rightly should be taken and make it _ours_. Feed, come back to me, my love!" The endearment has Inova turning, her eyes have softened as she regards the man, she knows but can't bear to remember. Her heels tap on the floor below as she approaches him, passing Steve so she can place warm palms against the vampire’s warm cheeks.

Although the man before her had caused her an affinity of pain, there were memories of times when all they'd had once was each other, such memories will forever be attached to him. It breaks Inova's heart to pretend not to care, but Vladimir was a complication wrapped in a tragedy, she couldn't love him forever.

Evaluating her control, Inova's searches his eyes, when she speaks her tone is like ice. "If I see you again, I _will_ kill you. And this time. I won't fail." Vlad's composure goes rigid, his face reverting back to marble. This isn't over, Inova can tell but in the next beat; he's gone.

Inova waits for about a minute for any sign of the man to disappear. When at last his scent is gone, she exhales, her frame relaxing. "I'm sorry Tony, I didn't know he'd come here."

The billionaire shrugs. "It's fine, you alright?"

Her sigh is heavy as she tears her eyes away from them. "I can't stay to make sure the towers protected. I've got a lead." At the mention of her affairs Steve perks up.

"Lead on what?" He inquires and Inova resists the urge to grimace.

"A few affairs I neglected to follow up on years ago."

Steve nods his affirmative, he waits for Tony to pretend to be busy to comes closer to her. "Need a hand." His offer doesn't shock Inova, she touches a hand to his wrist momentarily before drawing it away.

"I apologise Steven, but this is personal." If he feels rejected at her answer, he doesn't let it show. Inova gets called sometime later and leaves, Steve tries to say goodbye to her, but Inova's distracted she's already moving towards the elevator to leave.

Steve was alright, his protection wasn't a matter now, he's safe with S.H.I.E.L.D. Well, as safe as he could be, the two men staring after her could protect one another.

They watch her leave, Steve feeling more lost than ever whilst Tony rubbed his chest to calm his racing pulse. Without the rush of adrenaline in their systems, both men had been left worse off.

In the middle of his thoughts about the vampire’s past with this man, Tony clears his throat enough to get the Captains attention. Steve eyes him curiously from where he's slumped in his velvet couch cushions, beckoning him over.

"Tony?"

"I'm gonna say something. I don't want you to take it the wrong way, 'cause it's not intended to sound the way it does Cap." Steve sits back waiting, Tony eventually sighs after his long pause. "Inova's complicated, you should be careful with her."

The bigger man narrows his eyes at the implication of his incapability. "No offense Tony, but I think I can handle myself."

The genius blanches. "I'm not- that isn't what I meant. I know you're more than capable. It's just- Inova, she's more dangerous than you know."

Steve nods sternly. "I get that Tony."

"Yeah you _know_ , but I need you to _accept_ that now. If you go down the path I think you are, you need to understand that you'll see her, _all_ of her and if you don't like what you see it won't end well... for either of you. It's not going to be easy with Inova Steve."

Tony's unflinching earnestness puts Steve at ease, the man feels the tension seep out of him. He shrugs with a small smirk. "Yeah well, nothing in my life has ever been easy."

Thankfully Tony finds the humour in his dry statement and chuckles. "That's probably why you're drawn to her, right." 

The lack of a question has Steve thinking Tony knows more than he's letting on, but the blonde ignores the feeling in the back of his mind for now and answers honestly. "She's unlike anyone I've ever met, I can't help but want to know more every time I see her. Maybe it's because she's lived through the same time as me, maybe not. I don't know." 

Tony's quiet for some time, simply considering the other man. He's staring so intently that it's slowly staring to get under Steve's skin, he announces his departure quickly, before he ends up snapping at Tony. 

The billionaire is understanding, if not a little grateful for moments alone to process, guiding Steve to the garage he departs saying. "Call me, anytime okay? We can drink and talk about powerful women. They happen to be one of my favourite topics of conversation."

"I'll think about it, Tony."

*-*

Inova needed to track this Dylan Taylor down, but with no scent leads it'd be difficult. Lucky for her she knew someone who was perfect for the job, and who would undoubtedly say yes.

"No." Inova was bloody gobsmacked.

"Hear me out love." Maria Hill sat at her desk in the official S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters in Washington and frowned at Inova from over the top of some computer she had her nose stuck in.

"First of all don't call me love, secondly I'm not doing you any more favours Inova, Fury's condemned me from doing so and to be honest with you," The look she gave the vampire now could only be described as a full on grimace. "The cliché flirting you're trying with me doesn't help your case any further." Inova dropped her pout and furrowed her brows.

"My flirting is so not cliché." Hill's response was to snort into her cup of coffee. "See I brought you coffee and muffins, how on earth could anyone find that cliché?" By now Inova'd gotten her worked up enough that she made actual eye contact.

"You know you're right; it wouldn't be a cliché- if I were a teenage girl with a college crush. However, considering I'm neither a teenager and you're not Casey Affleck I'm gonna have to say you're being _cliché_." The agents grin spreads the longer Inova pouts.

Finally, the vampire must admit defeat. "Just remember I'm not exactly familiar with all the updated flirting tricks, I have been in isolation for...quite a few years." Her dry chuckle trailed off, as she tried to get rid of the haunting memories. Maria's control waned momentarily as she took the vamps reaction in, her human compassion came out.

The agent leans forward on an arm. "How was that?" Inova grew confused at the question.

"How was what?" Hill shrugged making a non-committed gesture to the air as she leaned back in her chair.

"You know- isolation. I mean you must have been alone for so many years, how does that...that even feel?" Inova stared at the woman for quite a while, those brown iris's yearned for an answer whether to satisfy her curiosity or to show genuine compassion the vampire was unsure. All she knew is that no one had asked such a personal question about her time alone yet, it was nice to have someone almost care.

It was a new feeling and Inova had to admit she was conflicted on it; Inova and feelings never really did mix.

Inova sighed, "It's maddening. Every day I felt what little bit of myself I still controlled slipping away, my loneliness became something which instead of protecting me scared me and I could feel the line between sanity and borderline insanity becoming thinner every day." She bit her lip hard enough to bring the blood rising to the surface.

"Truth is... being alone is over-rated yes, but I'd rather be alone than hurting innocent people who just don't deserve it. If I were human, I'd never be alone." There was a lump rising in her throat as she whispered the next words. "However, I am not human." Maria had remained silent through the sappy moment and Inova had to shake all the feelings out. She physically shook her head and smiled brilliantly afterward right at her.

"Anyway sweetheart, about this favour. I am in desperate need of the means to track someone, as my skills can only get me so far," A sly wink was met with a roll of brown eyes. "Yet fortunately you are very good in your division at finding people, are you not?"

"One of the best." It seemed modesty was not on Hill's agenda for this lovely morning.

"Exactly which is why I need you to locate a man by the name of Dylan Taylor." A few clicks on her thingy later and she'd narrowed it down to exactly-

"380,000 men go by the name of Dylan Ashton in the country." Inova circled her desk and hovered over her right on the left shoulder.

"Try filter your options through Europe, see what pops up." More taps followed by a cough later and she gets more results.

"This time it's only 160,000, hmm that's still quite a lot." The vamp was about to groan out in frustration until Maria hummed in thought. "This guy got a criminal record?"

 _'I'd be surprise if he didn't'_ is what Inova wanted to say. "Should do, he seems like the type." Hill's nod of conformation causes her hands to type in more filters on the system. This time as she looks on the screen 239 small dots glow brightly back at her.

"It’s definitely better than what we started with." Inova agrees with her instantly.

"Would you mind giving me a profile print out of these men? It's actually for a case I'm working on." Her comment catches the agent’s attention and she once again leaning back in her chair to give the vampire a curious glance.

"You a detective now?"

"No, there's just a-um thing I've got to do for someone. A friend you could say." Miss Hill doesn't pry any further and soon the profiles are printed and handed to Inova in a red folder.

She smiles fondly at the agent as she's handed it. "I owe you one Maria, truly." The brown eyes creasing back at her are full of humour as Hill smiles, something Inova instantly likes.

"You visit me once in while with coffee and muffins in the morning and I'm sure this friendship could go a long way." Maria raises her own cup to bid the vamp goodbye and Inova smirks.

"You got it agent." Then Inova gives her a mock salute at which Maria rolls her eyes and takes her leave with a wink and blown kiss.

~

Narrowing it down took Inova a while, considering all the results were scattered over the globe. Inova went from Italy to Germany in the time period of 3 days. Those marks were a lost cause as neither contained the wolf gene.

Her luck finally turned around when she found him, and he, the vamp was sure of. Not only did he smell like an all-natural beta but the tattoo on his neck- depicting a wolf paw print- just assured her suspicion.

The bustling city of _Lille_ in France was a masterpiece, turned out the target had relocated from Sokovia at the age of 21 and had been living here for the past 17 years

Quite convenient if you ask the vamp.

Currently sat at a little table, outside the Café Leffe, Inova waited. The smell of breads being cooked, and coffees brewed inside the peaceful place resonated through the air, as Inova purposely snacked on the delicious Pain au chocolat she'd ordered.

Whilst the vampire had been in the city, stalking Dylan became a job of hers, every day at 12:50 he'd pass this place. 

Naturally she'd arrived 10 minutes prior to formulate her plan, attempting not to look suspicious was hard when you had a black collar around your neck. Thankfully, Inova had asked fury to fix that problem of hers before she left on her journey and now bore a perfectly suitable choker that doubled as a tracking- oh no excuse her- a monitoring device.

The knee-high floral sundress floated around in the wind as Inova sat waiting. Turns out she didn't have to for long, the tanned man turned the corner just as she brought the frothy cappuccino away from her rose lips. Dylan was surprisingly good looking, he had brown lengthy hair that had been fashionably tied up on the top of his head. The colour of his black V-neck shirt and grey slacks went effortlessly well along with his look therefore Inova kept her eyes locked onto him briefly; just to appreciate of course.

As if her trail of thoughts had been heard by the man his stunningly emerald eyes locked 'coincidentally' onto hers. For a second, and Inova reiterates a _second,_ he smiles sweetly at her. That is until his eyesight wanders down to her neck where her choker lays, this confuses him briefly but Inova can tell it starts his senses working as the closer he steps toward her the more his nose starts to twitch.

Inova sees it clearly, the moment he figures her out and promptly tries to turn around in retreat.

"You'd be wasting your time Mr. Taylor, running away from me that is." There's a smirk in her words as she sees him halt dead in his tracks.

He turns back to her slowly.

"Who are you?" The question is asked containing no humour whatsoever, instead of answering Inova gestures to the seat opposite her.

"Please."

The man shrugs. "I'd rather not."

"Come now Dylan, I'd hate to make a scene." He accepts the offer hesitantly after the threat, studying her from his seat.

With a smile Inova waves over the waiter, when he arrives Inova orders two croissants to go in fluent French.

"Tres bien mademoiselle, et tu monsieur?" Dylan shakes his head obviously about to say he wants nothing but Inova interjects and orders him a brownie. When the waiter gives a smile and walks away Dylan states that he didn't want anything.

"I don't care." Inova clears her throat as the silence falls, the move was to help Dylan understand who was in charge here, the power was in her hands.

After a while he inquires somewhat bashfully. "Who are you?" Inova evades answering after all she was here to get the answers not to give them.

"17 years ago, you, along with a large collective gang abducted a 5-year-old boy from his family in Sokovia along with several other small children. They were taken during battle and I want **you** to tell me why?" Emerald eyes locked onto the vamps, then a condescending smile formed itself on his lips and the man leant back in the chair he currently occupied.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Violet eyes narrow at him.

"You will." She fumbled into the clutch purse on her chair to pull out her phone, after some tapping Inova put the smart phone on the table and shows him the picture she requested from Carly.

It was of Owen as a child, his curly locks sat atop his head in an unruly mess while his bright toothy smile gave him that classic boyish innocence look. A look that could let even the cruellest of men crumble.

"I'm gonna say it once more, only once so listen. Very. Closely." To intimidate further she leans in and allows her voice to grow quieter. "17 years ago, you kidnapped this little boy, he was five and if you want to make it back to your omega in time for dinner- I'd tell me why!" She seethed at him and at the mention of his girlfriend his face paled.

"What have you done with my Silvia!" He demands not in the least considerate of their surroundings. Inova gives him the best warning look she can muster to calm the bigot down. It takes a while but gradually the interested heads turn back around to their own business; Inova takes a deep breath in even though she technically doesn't need to.

"Your Silvia is fine and will remain that way, unless of course you don't tell me where you delivered those children too and why." He glared daggers at her, yet still she remained unflinching. "Hurry up and decide what's more important, I'm not a patient person."

They glared each other down, both their dominant sides clashing recklessly.

He must have realised he wouldn't win eventually, going from the rough exhale that left his lips.

"Fine, 17 years ago- like you said -our group 'The Mutts' were hired by a secret organisation. They seemed to know everything about us-"

"What secret organisation?" Inova interrupted, the man shrugged.

"I swear to you, if I knew I would say but to this day they still elude me." His eyes shift left and right to check for prying ears and eyes as he leans over to whisper the next words. "Only thing I know is the name, called themselves the Lupians." Inova rolled her eyes.

"Continue."

"As I was saying; these Lupians hired us or more suitably threatened us to do some job involving kidnapping a bunch of toddlers. Now at first, I was having none of it, even told a few of the mutts I was considering leaving." The pause he takes is deliberate, adjusting the collar of his shirt he takes a breath whilst imitating innocence as the waiter returned and placed a croissant in front of him.

"Merci," Inova inquiries about her other food and the waiter smiles bashfully.

"Well I gave your order to my chef with a special request saying he was to bake you a fresh batch to bring with you." Inova made an adoring face to the man.

"You didn't have to do that." His hand runs through his hair and Inova finds herself becoming distracted.

"For a beautiful lady, sometimes a man must do questionable things." Dylan rolled his eyes and Inova felt absolutely flattered, suddenly her lust levels spiked up and she naturally began flirting.

"Je m'appelle Violet," She shook hands with the waiter, and he introduced himself as Nathaniel.

Inova got his number- much to Dylan's annoyance - he had to sit patiently like a good little boy.

After the whole ordeal, she dropped the smile on her face and became once again the epitome of seriousness.

"So, what happened after you told them about taking your leave?"

"Somehow, the Lupians found out. Threatened me to do the job by saying all The Mutts would die if I didn't." She hummed taking a sip of her cooling coffee. "I did it. Then we had to target some small place called Sokovia. Didn't exactly go down well with the Alpha wolves down there. Ending result was an absolute blood bath, but we got the toddlers. I along with 27 others of my once 60 Mutts went to the rendezvous point."

"Where was this?"

"Moscow, some abandoned car park. We transferred the kids and got the promised payment. They put the kids into some unmarked van and took off that was the last I've ever heard of them or seen."

Inova nodded slowly piecing together this mystery in her mind. None of it made any sense, why would Vladimir feel so strongly about abducting werewolf children, what did he gain from it? 

After a few seconds, her eyes met Dylan's again.

"And your absolutely certain there's nothing else to it?" Her tone is kept light but after he nods her voice darkens and she leans in. "Because if you are withholding information from me Dylan, I assure you... death will be the least of your problems." His gulp was audible and Inova could hear the pulse beat beneath his skin jump, the thought of not having fed in a few days popped up into the forefront of her mind.

"I swear to you, that's all I know."

The shrill ping of her cell interrupted the tense moment that had occurred between them; the wolf opposite her was grateful.

Inova peered at the text now displayed on her phone screen, it appeared Carly was eager to get some results from her quest.

Feeling their meeting was just about concluded Inova met Dylan's eyes and thanked him for being so co-operative.

"Your thanks will not keep me safe from _their_ treacherous jaws, disclosing that much information to you has cost me greatly." He was deadly serious now and the growled fear wasn't missed by the vampire.

Inova stood up from the chair, the dress she wore swayed as a flutter of wind blew, she slid her shades over her eyes smiling at the man.

"Right, I should be worried about the consequences the child abductor faces," The sarcastic comment caused his death glare to turn upon her but Inova wasn't easily intimidated. "Cheer up silly, the Lupians only kill betrayers I'm sure- oh wait!" By now Dylan was a fearful wreck, the vein in his forehead bulging out under the skin. As Inova chortled at his complete misery the waiter from earlier visited the table yet again this time with a bag full of delicious goodies for her.

"Aw, merci Nathaniel." His blush highlighted his pale features; Inova had caused it.

All vampires were a natural aphrodisiac, so it was only natural for her presence to be causing such a chemical reaction in his blood.

His blood.

"So, may I call you later?" **Say no, say no, say no!**

"I'd be hurt if you didn't." Oh dear.

When he leaves, and the wolves are left alone Inova gives Dylan her most reassuring look.

"I'm aware you have two small children and a mate who expect to see you home tonight and every other night. So, you have my _word_ , you and your family will be protected by some of my associates and if any harm does come to you, I will hold myself accountable." His loud sigh of relief is almost like a prayer and Inova smiles softly whilst picking up her phone placing it in her bag.

The vampire turns swiftly on her white flats and said a smooth goodbye to her informant. If fate was kind their paths would never cross again.

*-*

His mouth is terribly soft, skin as hot as fire. The hesitance he has while performing such an innocent act only spurs Inova on. She can feel herself reacting, her pupils dilating to nothing as violet fills in the entirety of her eye. Her fangs start protruding from their pockets.

"Ow!" Nathaniel- or Nate as he has told her to call him- protests leaning back so their mouths are no longer together. "You just bit me."

"Where?" Inova sighs her eyes still closed as she pants heavily against the alleys brick wall. They ended up there after their evening drink turned into a moonlit walk through France's city streets, from there the two discussed cliché topics- and oh my god Maria was _right_.

Anyway, after the talk she shoved him into an alley way and basically couldn't resist the urge he presented.

Now as she breathes deeply, he whispers, "On my bottom lip." The iron smell worms its way into Inova's centre and the strong will that she possessed just doesn't seem to want to function.

_I'm going to kill him, aren't I?_

Inova's sudden thought has her pushing back abruptly. "Do you have kids?" _Please say yes, please say yes, please._

"No."

She grunts out the next question. "An ex-wife?"

"No."

"Do you have any family at all?"

"No."

"Ugh!" In a fit of frustration, she pushes him away from her, he stumbles and falls to the ground cursing after he asks what the hell is wrong. "You're perfect for it," Inova opens her eyes and reveals the violet haze they've become; naturally his response is a gasp. "So, you have to run away before I-"

"B-before you what?" The race of his pulse elevates emphasising his fear and Inova could- should run away from him, use her speed and get away from there as fast as possible but she doesn't. There are no witnesses here in the darkness it would be so easy to just kill him.

Yet, he's innocent and if Inova does this it will no doubt be front page news. If stories hit the media of a supposed assault or mutilation in Lille, Fury will hear about it within minutes of it being reported and Inova will be in deep trouble.

Inova tore herself off the wall and pace out of the alley. "Go home, I'm sorry." Inova flashed out using her speed and don't stop until she made it to a remote and secluded roof staring out at a cute set of small houses.

God, that could have ended in serious disaster. Sitting here now with nothing but her thoughts to keep her controlled, it brought on her shame. Inova would have killed that man and not thought twice about it.

What kind of a monster was she?

The smooth tune of a jazz ringtone interrupted her silent brooding and Inova dug into her bag and pulled out her phone. The caller ID said it was Carly; without hesitation she answered.

"Hi Carly."

"Hey, what's up? You sound like shit." Inova huffs, swearing to the gods the girl had some sort of sixth sense.

Inova contemplated lying, "Well, um-"

Carly's quick to stop her. "Nope don't bother not telling the truth, I'll sus you out faster than you can say Captain America!" _Oh._

Inova stills.

During this mess of things, she'd forgotten all about Steve. Growling in frustration into the phone the vamp flopped back onto the roof.

"Wow, something's really riled you up. Is it about the case to do with my brother?" The tiny wolf had worry in her tone and Inova had to assure her everything was alright.

"So, what's wrong with you?"

"It's my stupid vampire nature making an appearance, I almost killed a man who didn't deserve it." Inova scoffs. "I guess ever since I helped save the world my moral code has been improved, I'm not used to caring about whether I kill a person or not."

"Oh, I see. Well why don't you just become like some vigilante who can't kill because you're so conflicted with your moral code!" Her tone morphed into a deep one as she said it and Inova couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Really and what would I be called huh?"

"How 'bout wolf rider or the hunter, oo yeah the hunter I love it." Her giggle spurred Inova's own and as soon as the sound of their merriment died away Inova felt the guilt come back.

"Anyway, I called to see how things were and to ask if you possibly got any leads."

The vamp carefully reported how she'd found the man who took the children originally, only to find out he was in fact working for another group of wolves who called themselves the lupians and it admittedly would take a while to track them down if they could pull such a thing as kidnapping and not get caught. 

"Owen isn't gonna be home for a while, then is he?" The sorrow in her voice could break hearts and had broken Inova's.

"I'm afraid not."

"That's alright I guess, at least you're actually getting somewhere." The young wolf's name is called in the background and the shuffling she makes while responding signals their conversation is nearing its end. 

"-fine Mom I'll be there in a second. Sorry Inova, I gotta go."

"Alright, I'll see you soon I'm travelling back to America shortly. Make sure you inform your mother of my developments."

"Will do, bye."

"Bye Carly." The young one ended the call but Inova kept the phone at her ear for a little while longer- telling herself it was just for the warmth it gave her.

Eventually after a while the vampire stood and made sure there were no humans about she sped all the way to the hotel Inova was staying in, went through the lobby checked in with some lady who had been lovely to Inova throughout her stay, then retired to bed.

Hungry, cold and alone.

Inova may have only walked back into society but things sure where the same. 


	14. Steven Grant Rogers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What happened to you two, in the end?"
> 
> There's reserve in her voice, her features too. They speak of great pain and sorrow, Steve wonders if it's all Inova had felt. "It didn't matter how much I loved him. His cruelty altered everything. He's trapped in the past I left behind. He's wrong Steve, in so many ways, he has to be stopped.

Coming back to America was harder than usual, Inova still felt guilty for her loss of control in Paris and contemplated briefly just running back to Antarctica. The thoughts were immediately discouraged by her obligation to Carly and her family; but that didn't mean they weren't still lurking.

Her selfish desire for comfort had brought her back to New York, to a small apartment complex absurdly far from the Brooklyn borough. 

Before she could become discouraged, she knocks on the door.

"Inova?" Oh god what was she doing here, he looked surprised to see her, too surprised, bad surprised? Was that even a surprised face or was it more of a disgusted face, was her being here offensive, should she have called ahead?

"Try not to look too disappointed." Was the dry retort, she'd tried to go for cheeky, but it came out the horrible opposite of that, weary.

Steve blushes, already shaking his head to refute such a suggestion. "No, I-I'm not disappointed. Surprised sure, but not disappointed. Just wasn't expecting anyone, ya know." The soldier spares a glance over his shoulder to the mess which was currently his apartment. "Please uh come in, excuse the mess." Inova passes the soldier into his apartment and takes in the packed boxes and sparse furniture with intrigue.

"Moving somewhere?" The Captain nods.

"Y-yeah, Fury's put me in charge of the STRIKE team. Wants me stationed in DC." Violet eyes survey Steve silently as she considers his statement, he tries not to crack under the intensity of her gaze and moves to the kitchen to make himself a coffee.

Eventually Inova hums, "Nick wants to keep his best soldier close huh? Can't say I'm surprised." she takes a seat at Steve's sorry excuse for a dining table and watches him fumble around with the machine. He uses it like he's done it a million times before and Inova figures it must've been one of the first things he learnt how to use in this new time.

The vamp declines a cup he tries to make for her, he's bashful when he pours his own and comes to sit opposite her. After taking a sip from his mug he regards her.

"What about you, Fury's got you doing missions for S.H.I.E.L.D right. How's that going?" Inova perks up, she throws him a smirk.

"Are you keeping tabs on me Steven?" The blush that rises on his cheeks is just how Inova remembers it, the rosy hue electrifies Inova as she practically hears his blood rush to the surface. 

Steve splutters. "Yes- I mean no, no. Well, kind of, not in a creepy way or anything just uh sometimes I figure asking about what the teams doing now is fine. You know it's not really against protocol or anything, I don't think. I-" Inova's melodic laughter cuts him off, her eyes sparkle in the dull light of the afternoon and Steve's gone as red as a tomato. The ruffles on her red Bardot dress bounce along with her shoulders the more she goes on, but he knows she's not mocking him, she's simply amused.

"I'm flattered don't worry, I for one know I've been keeping tabs on everyone." The vampire studies him closely again, her head cocking to the side as if she saw something Steve could not, eventually she leans back in her chair her long braids follow the movement and Steve tries not to look too enthralled. Especially when his gaze falls onto the collar still around her neck, despite the woman’s assurances of the item not annoying her Steve felt there was more to the story.

Inova notices where his eyes look, without missing a beat she smiles. “You’re one of the few trusted with removing it you know.”

Steve can’t hide his surprise. “I am?” The vampire hums, a delicate hand reaches up and spins the collar around to where the back holds a fingerprint mechanism.

“Yours, Fury’s and Hills. Three people I trust.” Steve’s so shocked processing the fact that the woman trusted him enough that he fails to reply. Inova doesn’t mind, she looks him over with a fond eye and changes the subject. "I would very much like to take you out Steven." The blush on his cheeks increases, this time a shy smile paired with it.

"Out where?"

"I've got a few ideas. You've just got to trust me." Steve hides the grin into his coffee mug but soon after he takes a sip, he's nodding his consent wholeheartedly.

"Yeah, ok."

*-*

Steve hasn't felt so nervous since before the war, all those double dates with Buck couldn't even compare to being alone with Inova.

The vampire was a vision, casually leaning back whilst operating the flashy vehicle she'd driven to his apartment with ease.

With one hand on the steering she leaned over Steve's leg slightly to open the glove compartment. The items she pulls out are then handed to the blonde. "Here put these on." It's a baseball cap and a pair of shades, he's puzzled for a few moments until Inova puts on her own and laughs. "There an easy disguise, since New York our image has kind of been trending. I thought this might make things a little easier where we're going."

"Where are we going?"

"All in goodtime Steven, all in goodtime."

She'd taken him to the MET, Steve had recalled going the one time as a child on a field trip and never getting to go again because the ticket price was too much.

"Wow."

"Quite a sight, isn't it?"

"This is where you planned for us to go? Not exactly what I expected."

Inova smiles shyly at him. "I wish to show you something. Besides, a little birdy told me you were somewhat of an artist yourself."

"Umm, i-i wouldn't say artist. More of a- Nova wait up." He rushes to catch up to where the vamp had wandered up the steps in-between his rambling, he's admittedly excited to go inside, as well as a little nervous. The woman beside him seemed so at ease, so comfortable in her own skin, whilst Steve felt displaced against the vibrancy of this new world.

Entering the building Steve's mouth is already open in awe, it's overhead arches and high ceilings were memorising to Steve. They hadn't changed, even if the exhibits had a little. 

Inova spun around walking backwards to stare at his wonder, taking little interest in the several eyes glued to her. 

The Captain couldn't blame all the men, Inova was beautiful. Her jeans like a second skin on her shapely legs, Steve shouldn't have been looking so hard but even if he didn't have an eidetic memory, he'd not be forgetting the way she looked any time soon. 

"I'm surprised Tony didn't offer to shut down the whole museum for us." Inova chuckles, the sound pleasing to the ear with its softness. 

"Oh, he offered. I turned it down, the last thing we need is to attract news crews and reporters down to our location. Knowing Tony, the whole thing would've been a dramatic event, especially so soon after the entire Mandarin scandal." She considers a statue as they pass it and smiles. "This is much nicer."

Steve nods, but for the most part he's enraptured by the various art around him. 

"You wanted to show me something?" Inova seems to remember and urged the man deeper into the building. 

"I've been on earth for centuries, seen my fair share of humanity. Now that my image is being shown to the masses worldwide well, there are quite a few theories of my history. I feel the need to let someone else know who I am, who better than someone who’s alike to me in that way." The blonde is honoured and as they pull up to the Egyptian exhibit.

"Throughout history I've worked very hard to not leave traces of myself behind. There are a limited number of years I can live in one place before people start to notice my lack of aging. When I came to earth, I was clumsy, I didn't know humans aged so quickly, your lives are so fleeting. Rumours spread throughout Memphis Egypt, before I knew it, I was being hunted. The only remaining proof on earth to my arrival on this planet, is here."

"In the museum?" The blonde asks curiously, Inova nods.

"It's an old story written, and right there..." Her hand ghosts the glass case delicately. "Is where it all began." Steve leans in closer to see the old tapestry spread out with pictures and old writing. 

He had no idea what Inova meant until he took in the violet eyes on a woman depicted on the tapestry. The famous Old Egyptians illustrations showed a rock crash landing in the sand, from the rock- probably a meteor- a woman emerged. 

Brown skin, purple eyes and long wild hair, completely in the nude. 

It was Inova! 

"T-that's you." Steve stroked the glass almost feeling the soft cloth beneath his fingertips. Inova hums and takes her own hand to recall the story written in hieroglyphs. 

_"The gods sent down a cradle from the heavens, from the cradle sprung a woman. Her skin glowed in the sun so bright we thought her to be a gift. Our village welcomed her with arms of love not realising the gods had cursed us."_ Her translating stops abruptly and Steve can't figure out why until he sees where her hand has stopped. 

The image is disturbing, the people of the village flee as the woman's skin sheds and she becomes a wolf. Blood is drawn everywhere, giving Steve an insight to how far I nova's hunger can go. 

Inova was taking in his reaction silently, waiting for the expression of horror and fear, when it never came, she continued. _"The gods had sent a monster. One who would deliver us all to Anubis, the dog's vengeance reigned over our village until none remained. Blood spilled for days, until the beast's hunger was satisfied, and it left."_

Steve can practically feel the self-doubt in her mind, the unpleasantness of the situation isn't lost on him. Offering her a chance to tell someone. "How long were you in the meteor?" 

"Almost a year."

"You must have been scared."

With an upturned lip Inova scoffs. "I was a fool, when those people invited me in, I hadn't any idea what they were saying or even what being human meant. They looked just like me, but I knew they weren't, they smelt different. Before I could even try to understand them, my hunger outweighed the desire. When I realised what I was doing was wrong, after I saw their faces, their horror... I fled." It grows eerily quiet, Steve can feel Inova's guilt and pain over the situation and decides changing subjects would be the best course of action. 

"I used to be an artist."

Soft violet eyes fall onto his, Inova smirks with a grateful expression, she knows he's trying to distract her.

"Well aren't you lucky this museum is famous for its paintings. Come on.!" She grabs his hands and steers him away from her past with a fabulous smile.

*-*

The two had made their way around the space absorbing as much of the exhibits as they wanted. 

It turned out Inova had seen everyone and even seen some whilst they were being created. 

"You knew Leonardo Di Vinci!?" Steve exclaimed. 

Inova hushes him gently, a finger coming up to her lips as she holds back giggles. 

"Yes Steve, he was quite an odd man. Oh, but his passion for life, his enthusiasm for saving humanity through his art. I-i thought I'd never meet another person so righteous in their beliefs, not until I met y-" Her words trail off and the glazed look leaves her eyes. Replaced instead with a cold indifference. "Anyway, he was brilliant." 

For a second Steve feigns interest in a painting to gather his thoughts, they'd get nowhere with one another if they couldn't be honest, so he asks what's on his mind. "Vladimir?" Steve's gently coaxing her to carry on speaking, to know she can trust him with these things. 

If it was possible Inova's expression grew even sadder. "No, not Vlad. He's... complicated. When we first met, he was different, he'd been a dying man who'd accepted his fate. His contempt for the people who wasted theirs was part of the reason I thought changing him would be a good decision. I was mistaken. I'd mistaken hatred of mankind for contempt, his delusions had worsened. With the power I'd given he couldn't let go of his vision of a world without humans, where vampires would reign supreme."

"What happened to you two, in the end?"

There's reserve in her voice, her features too. They speak of great pain and sorrow, Steve wonders if it's all Inova had felt. "It didn't matter how much I loved him. His cruelty altered everything. He's trapped in the past I left behind. He's wrong Steve, in so many ways, he has to be stopped."

They moved to a different section before Steve started speaking. "In a way I understand. The man who made me, Erskine-" Inova tenses. "He uh made the Red Skull too, he said the inside effected what the man became. Chose me for the process instead because he saw something in me, I used to believe it you know. But now... I don't know so much."

Inova stops suddenly which makes him stop to, when their eyes meet the vampire shakes her head with conviction. "You're a brilliant man Steve, This- Erskine sounds very wise and I'm sure to him you were the only choice. You turned out great." Steve huffs a depreciating laugh. 

"Thank you." They'd stopped in an open space, soft light spilled in through the windows. It gave Steve an idea. "Hey, it's hot out. Wanna go to Central Park."

Inova follows the blonde who’s already heading in the direction of the exits, she groans. "Only if we pick up food on the way. I'm _starving_."

Steve's brow arches. "Can vampires eat human food?"

"I can eat it. It just doesn't give me energy. It's like a distraction for my stomach, the food fills it so I'm not hungry for real sustenance all the time." With the information shared Steve considers the logic and shrugs. 

"Good to know."

They walk out with smiles on their faces into the sunshine, heading towards Inova's vehicle. 

*-*

They end up setting up a picnic.

The two are laying on a blanket Steve had bought because he'd had millions worth of back pay and not a single thing to spend it on. The blanket was the first non-necessity item he'd purchased in this new world and of course Inova was with him when he did. 

They'd discussed Brooklyn, he wasn't surprised to know she'd been there before. 

His excitement however as he discussed Coney Island was adorable. "You've never been!" The Captain exclaimed in shock and Inova stares up at the blue sky and laughs. 

She shrugs at the real-life golden retriever. "I rarely had time to enjoy myself in crowded human spaces, Steve."

She hadn't meant to dampen the mood, is what she fears she'd done. Unlike her, Steve doesn't miss a beat. "Oh... I'll take you sometime." Nova quirks a brow at him and Steve starts stammering. "Only if you want of course, no uh, no pressure."

With a small smile Inova agrees. "I'd love that, very much."

The vampire didn't think Steve's smile could stretch any further, but it does and oh what a time this is to be alive. "It’s a date then- or a uh mutual going out event which we will both be attending."

"You're awful at this aren't you." Her mischievous smirk makes Steve blush. 

"Massively." 

A nice quiet fell upon them until Steve's curiosity gets the best of him. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"What's your home like?" Her eyes shroud over in this dark way when Steve asks her and he regrets being invasive, he wants to take it back to apologise but she's smiling up at the blue sky once again before he can say anything.

"Edrania was beautiful. I'd wake up every morning and watch the sun rise to sit alongside the moons, I would run through the palace gardens and burrow myself in grass taller than myself. Edrania was most beautiful in the night. It was never cold or overbearingly hot, it was always so warm. As a child, nothing appealed to me more than exploring its wonder, seeing werewolves and vampires alike existing in this one place of my world was beautiful to me." That dark expression is back again, the change so sudden Steve becomes alarmed. "But I was naïve as a child, I didn't see my world for what it was." Inova's sneering. 

"And what was it exactly?"

"A lie. A stifling cage where no wolf was considered equal and every vampire put their trust into a false deity. Of course, the woman would have to be my mother."

"You're mother?"

"Their Queen." Steve's shocked expression reaches his features. 

"So, you are a princess, Vladimir wasn't just taunting you." The word mocks her.

"I haven't been a princess in a very long time Steven." 

"Why-" He seems to think better of whatever question he was going to ask but Inova doesn't want to keep anything from Steve, she doesn't think she can. She needs to remind him she's not a good person, she's not.

"You can ask me anything Steve. Anything." Her face turns from the sky to fall on the blanket to mirror his position. They lay beside each other staring into the other's eyes, and the sunshine falls on one side of face making the brown of her skin shimmer beautifully. He whispers his fascinations to her.

"Why did you stay, surely your people needed to be saved?" 

There was no lying to him now. "I can't go back, not only is it impossible to get there but I'm- I'm a coward Steve."

"You risked your life to protect New York, to fight alongside our team. I don't think those are the actions of a coward."

"Fighting is easy Steve, my entire life has been war. It's nothing new to me, but my mother. She frightens me, I know if I were to go back now, I'd be unable to face her." It's what scares her the most, the thought of never being able to help her people, to save them from the tyranny her mother provides, but she's not ready. 

There's something to lose now.

"So, you're mothers a tyrant?"

Inova nods solemnly. "The worst kind, as a child I believed we were royal for pure reasons, I soon learnt that the vampires only ruled as the elite because of the suffering she'd made the wolves endure, Edrania belongs to them. My mother slaughtered millions to take it from them and takes their children to build her army. Even now, she must be causing endless suffering."

The man breathes out beside her, his voice small when he speaks again. "It must hurt, knowing you can't do anything to stop her."

" _One day._ One day there will be a time where I will be strong enough to kill her. I have vowed this to myself."

Steve knows her words are sincere and decides not to dwell on that which cannot be changed. "Tell me more about your brother."

She does. 

Inova tells him of Saturni. How wolves work. Who Mina is, how soul gliders exist, what it’s like to turn. All these things which make her, all the things she'd never gotten a chance to confess before.

Things come to a head when Steve speaks of his own family. 

"My mother was an angel, gave her while life to saving others and helping people. I know I got my strong moral code from her."

"Your stubbornness too I suspect." Steve's laugh at her joke is music to her ears, he's nodding to her relief. 

"Oh definitely."

"What of your father?" Steve stiffens and the air between the grows colder, it's clear there is something wrong.

"He-uh..." Inova knows it’s a sore subject from the way the blonde tenses and swallows on his tongue. "He wasn't a good man. Used to hit my ma, he died when I was young, but I still remember him doing it."

For lack of anything better to say Inova sighs. "That must've been difficult."

"Well, _I_ wasn't a child soldier."

Inova grabs his hand and pulls their conjoined ones to the middle of the space between them, when Steve meets her eyes, they're warm and full of sincerity. "Just because some traumas are worse than others, it doesn’t mean your experience is invalid. You don't have to hide from me Steve, I'm _here._ "

It's all she has to say to let the tension face once again. "You have any good childhood memories?"

"I had plenty of dreams yes, but there was one which stuck throughout."

"Yeah? What did you dream?" 

She shakes her head. "You're going to think me silly."

"Humour me."

Steve finds himself listening to her dream whilst admiring the plaits of her hair which rest on the blanket they're sat on. He wants to reach out but stops himself in case the touch is unwelcome. "I wanted to live in a Palace next to a lake which I could call my home. I wanted to live there with a person who would love me and who I could call my own. I wanted to look across the lake’s waters with this person and smile, knowing I'd ever have to fight again. I wanted to be mated beside it."

Steve's heart grew warm with the imagery, until the last word. "Mated?"

"It's what marriage is to wolves, only far more meaningful. It's supposed to connect two beings’ souls together, tethering them to one another. Once your mated, it's forever." 

He had to force himself by sheer will not to blush, finding the imagery sent a swoop of longing to his stomach. "You're dream sounds beautiful." He says instead and Inova scoffs before smiling.

"They were the dreams of a child I'm afraid."

It's Steve's turn to offer the woman reassurance, he squeezes her hand still held in his and smiles. "I don't know. It doesn't sound _too_ difficult and I know a few lakes I could tell you about... Not so sure about the Palace though." Her laugh is sweet and encourages Steve to do the same.

Her violet eyes are sure to be twinkling as she stares into Steve's oceans. "Touché Rogers, touché. But what are we to do about your dreams?"

A hand lifts to settle behind Steve's head as he uses it as a form of pillow. "Well, I had a pal, a brother really. Bucky, his name was." Inova's silence was full of guilt but the Captain didn't detect it, to him she was being patient waiting for the rest of his nostalgia to be told. "He was the first to believe in me, said I could be an artist one day if I wanted it badly enough. After the war though, art just seemed pointless you know."

"I'm sure this Bucky was amazing." She felt disgusted with herself even saying his name, the weight of her failures fell heavy upon her.

"You know what I think?" Steve's brow raises at the woman's sudden flamboyance. "I think dwelling on things we can't change is a waste of everything here in front of us, we need to savour the moment and keep on going. For those who would want us to be happy." Inova had jumped up from the floor and thrust her hand out to help him stand to his feet.

Steve chuckles. "What'd you had in mind?" 

After a hum she smirks. "Did you ever go bowling?" 

The blonde shakes his head. "Not in one of those fancy arcades, we couldn't afford it."

"Alonsy then, Mr Rogers." She croons in a French accent and Steve can only follow on with a dazzling smile and a sense of things feeling unbearably right. 

*-*

They end the night back at his apartment, far away from Brooklyn to a place which failed to bear any resemblance of who Steve was. 

The place doesn't sit right with Inova but still she smiles up at him from her place below him on the steps. 

Steve's so angelic here, standing in front of her breathing gently as he fiddles with one of the two keys on his ring. 

His presence envelops Inova, she yearns to bury her nose into his neck to see if he smells as good as she remembers. The vamp could recall being pressed up against the length of his back, breathing in his scent as she whispers coordinates and directions into his ear. 

Now, the soft blue eyes watch her, and she feels her heart jolt in her chest. "Did you have a good day?" She purrs at him and he smiles. 

"I did. It was amazing, thank you. It’s nice to get out without the excuse of a mission call." A warm silence passes where she watched him wistfully as he shifts his weight and ducks his head. Finally, whilst peering down at her through thick lashes he smiles. "Did you wanna come up?" 

Inova raises a brow at the sudden flirty mood, Steve returns one cluelessly until he startles. "I-uh have a lot of movies to catch up on is what I mean, I thought maybe you did as well." Knowing her presence around Steve might very well be putting him in danger, she hesitated. 

Until she reasons it would be beneficial to keep the man in her sights, as she would be the best form of protection. 

"Sure."

*-*

Inova hadn't felt calm like this in so long, she'd forgotten what the very word meant.

In the entire day Inova had gotten to know Steve all over again, even more intimately than the first time. Beneath the surface her attraction to everything the man is sparks, she'd spent years trying to move on from his ghost and now here he was, laughing at a stupid joke she'd made about vampires.

After watching two of the original Star Wars movies they ended up on Steve's fire escape. From his place squashed next to her Steve laughs, the sound as sweet as honey suckle. "Nooo! You mean to tell me wooden stakes and garlic were all lies!?" He sounds so devastated it has Inova in pieces.

"Tall tales naturally, I had to quash human superstition Steven. Although, there was one event involving a clove of garlic and a cow intestine."

Steve blanches, "You know what, I think I'm okay." leaning back against the cool glass of his window he raises the bottle of wine he held to his lips, the liquid was fruity on his pallet but left a bitter aftertaste. 

He liked it.

"Your loss." She murmurs whilst taking a sip from her own glass.

"Okay, I know you've told me about Saturni- the queen of Saturn and how she's a soul glider but what does that mean?"

A long sip later and Inova is clearing her throat. "First of all, Saturni is not a queen. She is a protector, defender and a mother. It is her duty as leader of the soul gliders to guard the fallen souls of the universe. Only beings with pure hearts can possess their power."

The existence of such things fascinates Steve, he eagerly asks. "How does one judge a _'pure heart'_?"

"You don't. Many have the attribute naturally, but not everyone is chosen, one must have the gifts bestowed upon them."

Steve nods then gestures loosely over the woman. "Are you a soul glider?"

She shakes her head in distaste, her nose scrunching up like she’d eaten a lemon. "Oh no, god no."

"Why not."

"I do not have a pure heart Steve. To be pure of heart one must have pure intentions, my nature is direct contradiction to this, as I'm rarely making good decisions."

"You're pretty great in my eyes."

There was nothing she could think to say that wouldn't give away how unbearably attached she'd become in so little time. Any genuine response would surely give her away, she went for teasing instead. "You're too kind." His answering smile almost kills her, feelings from the past make her heart pound in her chest.

This wasn't love, it was Infatuation. Something riddled down bone deep within the very fibres of her being, she tried to convince herself. But the thoughts wouldn't cease, she ached.

After all deep down, within every passing moment the unbearable urge to taint him, feed from him. Make him just as much of a monster as she, was still something that tempted her. If he were immortal, if he were like her, he'd be safe, she'd never fail to protect him again.

But Steve... 

Steve was unobtainable, so close yet so far. A man greater than any before him, than any she'd known full of courage and bravery even before he had Erskine's serum flowing through his veins, Inova did not deserve to bask in his goodness and Steve didn't deserve to be a monster.

Opposite, staring down at her Steve's thoughts differed. 

There was something in the air, something charged and delicate, a fragility to them both. Two souls lost in an age that was nothing like their own. Perhaps she was his chance of salvation, maybe she held the key to answers he feels missing in his life.

They'd spoken of their troubles, drank to old comrades and Steve had felt the rightness of it in his bones. 

On impulse he reaches out to brush a plait out of her face and tucks it behind her ear along with the others. The gesture pushes her ear out giving her the appearance of an elven creature Bucky used to read about in one of his books. The thought warmed Steve, but Inova's breath had caught in her throat.

Their eyes collide gently, the shared understanding of...something passes between them and Steve leans in to fulfil a desire he hadn't felt in years.

A sharp ring disturbs the peace, Inova's quick to turn her head away from him as he starts the search for his phone. 

The sound was a mission alert, he'd been notified by Fury. At 11 o'clock at night.

He sighs, withdrawn from the bubble of happiness as reality set in. The words **'Mission'** and **'ASAP'** almost taunt him but eventually he must accept them.

Inova's patient of course, sitting still whilst staring into the night.

"I have to go." Steve sighs and she smiles ruefully.

"I understand." 

The Captain leads the way back inside his bare apartment, the girl slips on her shoes and offers him a few words and her number before she departs.

"Don't let him over work you Steve, Fury's a good leader but he rarely ever makes sure to consider how his team are feeling. It's okay to rest." Following her words is a soft kiss placed on his cheek, one leans down over her to receive.

Steve's blush lasted the entire time he rode to Fury's meeting location.

Who was this woman, the impossible woman. With strength that rivalled his own and why did he feel like he knew her?


	15. Take Over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You are powerless my love, you have no clues, no direction. There is nothing you can do to stop me... unless." There it was the miraculous loophole that would solve all the woman's problems.  
> "Unless what!?" Inova snaps, the longer he refuses to speak.  
> "You give in to me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh almost at a 1000 hits guys, thank you so much.
> 
> Enjoy this new chapter. xx

Inova had got back from a 7-month hunting spree across the globe- unsuccessful in finding any relevant data that could possibly lead her to the Lupians.

The date was the 20th of December and Inova stood on the phone in the hallway outside Fury's office. Only now had he invited her into S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters for a debrief. 

Apparently, a lot had gone on during her time away. 

She stood outside the man’s office at the Triskelion, on the phone with Carly. "-crazy ideas about how these assholes are so damn good at hiding from a thousand-year-old Alpha vampire." Inova shakes her head fondly as a hushed giggle slips passed her lips.

"I must admit, these 'assholes' are very good at covering their tracks. I've been to just about every pack I could find, and no one dared say anything about the Lupians, some out of fear, the rest out of spite."

Carly's voice is soft over the phone. "Maybe you just need a break, come over later I've got the entire place to myself and Ben and Jerry's in the freezer." Inova's brow furrows.

"Firstly, where are your parents and secondly, who the hell are Ben and Jerry?" Her sigh is thick and long as she explains to the vamp.

"My folks are out of town visiting Jen and Vinny down south and I opted to stay home, and dude Ben and Jerry's is an ice-cream brand." The young wolf laughs. "I'm not a weirdo who secretly has men frozen in her freezer!"

In between her laughter a man walked out of Fury's office wearing a black suit, his hair was a fading blonde colour and he looked to be in his late 70's. Inova paid him no attention but she catches out of the corner of her eye his slight grin in her direction as she wraps up her call.

"Does this break you speak of include movies containing pop culture references, I'll no doubt need if I am ever to understand Tony Stark?"

Carly barks out a laugh. "You know it!" The vampire hums in return, feigning contemplation.

"Alright tonight." The teen wolf squeals rather loudly before explaining she’s going to organise, and she'll see Inova later. The older woman says goodbye quickly and hangs up not bothering to hide her fond smile.

Glancing up Inova catches the smirk Fury drops as she looks up at him; her smile fades completely.

"You saw nothing." She threatens, much to the man’s amusement.

He gestures to his door with a nod. "Come in." The place is spacious- then again, he is the director- Inova expected nothing less. Her attention is drawn to the massive windows, staring outside them is almost surreal. To almost touch the world outside but having an invisible barrier is an incredible let down.

"I don't like them either." The eye-patched man comments as if he were reading her thoughts.

"What is the point of a window if it cannot be opened?" He points to his glass of scotch judging by the smell and asks if she wanted one. "No, thank you." Inova turned her head a bit but doesn't take her eyes away from the view. "What is it you want to 'inform' me about?"

A gulp of the liquor is taken, and he releases a hiss, "Please sit." Inova does politely.

The woman waits.

Eventually he starts to speak, he's calm and collected although most of the stuff he is relaying to her is thick in a venomous nature.

"May I see the footage?" He nods.

"This was Tony earlier this morning addressing this self-called Mandarin." The video pops up on his tablet showing Tony surrounded by reporters outside a hospital.

_"Here's a little holiday greeting I've been wanting to send to the mandarin, I just didn't know how to phrase it until now." The pause is filled with the flashes of cameras. "My name is Tony Stark and I'm not afraid of you."_

Inova sigh heavily, Stark's always did lead with their egos.

Like they don't all know who he is.

 _"I know you're a coward, so I've decided that you just died pal,”_ Inova’s eyebrows raise comically. _"I'm gonna come get the body."_ Some of the news reporters look at him in stunned shock. " _There's no politics here just good old-fashioned revenge, there's no pentagon it's just you and me. On the off chance you're a man, here's my home address; 10880 Malibu point 90265."_ Now he speaks to some guy with a phone as he takes it out of the guys hands.

 _"That's what you wanted right?"_ The next thing depicted is Tony throwing it across the hospital parking lot. _"Bill me."_ Is his sassy response, then he gets into his fancy car and drives off.

As the video cuts of abruptly, Inova recalls the events leading up to this.

"I can't say I'm surprised." Fury enquires as to why. "Well, egotistical playboy who also happens to be a self-proclaimed superhero has someone he cares about sent into the hospital. Resulting in the location of his fucking house being told to an extremist."

"Meaning-" Inova narrows her eyes.

"Back home there was a saying, _'Son'ahtoran hogel t'eltri'_ to be remembered one must first abandon all you cherish'. Tony only gets involved when the people he cares about are affected. He hasn't abandoned his loved ones. You should be happy."

Fury sighs, tiredly rubbing his forehead. It is now in this moment where his guards are down that Inova notices how tired he is. All mirth that may had been in her voice to start with was now replaced with seriousness.

"Would you like me to intervene?" Although she says it with a smile curled around her lips, he knows she means every word sincerely. He's the only one who can see past the façade Inova paints.

"No, Tony got himself into a mess I'm pretty sure he can get himself out of it."

Once again, they are enveloped in silence.

Fury breaks it, "How was the trip around the world?" Inova quirks an accusatory brow. "Your collar shows your exact location."

"Right," She drawls. "well I've been hunting a force that doesn't want to be found. My trip's been absolute hell." Impulse has Inova on her feet, "It's unbelievable. I'm supposed to be this all-powerful vampire hybrid the only one of my kind, yet I'm practically defeated by a couple of terrorizers and an asshole I can't seem to stop thinking about!" She's now stood back at the windows, gazing below at the tiny agents who seem so unbothered by the burdens on her shoulders. The soft fabric of her beige turtleneck covers the phantom itch of a bite on her neck. In the past Vlad had been so quick to mark her, it bothers Inova that he hadn't made a move in all the seven months since she warned him away. Could he really have just disappeared?

"Why put yourself through it?" The man in the patch shrugged at the look Inova gave him. "Why care?"

It was an even longer pause that followed.

"I promised." The moment however sweet was harshly interrupted when a jostled Maria came bursting through the doors to his office.

"Miss Hill!" Fury interjected but it wasn't him her eyes bore into. It was the vamp.

"Inova why haven't you been answering your phone?"

"It's on silent, I am after all in the presence of the director." Hill did not like the joke, if anything it pissed her off.

"For god sakes I tried to get a hold of you like 10 times, when Agent Wise told me you were here, I came as quickly as possible." Instinct told Inova she was not going to be pleased with whatever it was Hill had to tell her.

"What is it Maria?" Her sigh was conformation for Inova's previous thought.

"Remember a few months back, that Dylan man you asked me to search up." Inova nods waiting for the big reveal. It comes shortly when Hill hands her the tablet from her hands and a live video starts playing in French.

 _"It's been confirmed that Dylan Taylor- a doctor of Sokovian descent, has been found brutally murdered in his family home alongside his wife and two daughters."_ Inova's heart sank as the women's voice droned on. _"We have sources who say various other bodies were found near the family's home indicating that a possible gang war was the cause for the event-"_ Speechless Inova cuts the feed and exhale deeply, although Dylan may have deserved his death his family did not. In her head Inova's thoughts raced, it was too coincidental for it to just be an accident so the Lupians must have found out somehow. Heck, they were probably monitoring him throughout their entire conversation, the only other possible person who could've done this was Vladimir.

"Inova it's him right, the man?" The vampire nods at the agent after realising how quiet she had gone.

"Yes, it was. I believe he's just been killed to get my attention." Fury spins around in his chair and sees the flash of anger in those violet eyes.

"And the others?" Maria questions, also noticing the way the woman's eyes darken as well.

"Allies of mine sent to watch over him. They didn't work apparently." Maria apologises and Inova waves her off. "It's alright." She takes the tablet from Inova's hands and asks what she's going to do now.

"Investigate of course, if I can get a scent, I could possibly track these assholes down. I must admit it'd be easier with Mina's help." Her last comment was muttered under her breath, but Maria still heard it.

"Who's Mina?" Inova can't begin to explain why she was so mad with her question.

"Why don't you ask him?" The vampire pointed to the man in the eye-patch, yet no one dared speak afterward. Maria gave Fury a look that indicated she would do indeed just that.

"I've got to go. Maria thank you for the info." Inova's hand gently touched her shoulder. "I honestly appreciate it." At her acknowledging nod Inova says goodbye to her long-lost pal and walks out of the building.

When outside she took a deep breath of the afternoon air, its freshness helped focus her. Innocent blood was now on her hands once again for her stupid actions. On impulse Inova removes her phone from the back pocket of her jeans, Maria's missed calls popped up on the notifications straight away as well as a call from an unknown number. Confusion led her to dial it back and when it began to ring, she held it to her ear and waited.

Finally, it went through.

"Hello?"

There is breathing on the other side, thick, slow, calm.

"Who is this?" Inova tries again; _something isn't right._

"I never understood your fascination with the wolves." Vladimir's voice spoke and Inova knew he had been behind the murders. "I'm a jealous man Inova, I always have been." There was a trace of accusation in the vampire’s tone and Inova had been on the receiving end of it enough to know the man was up to something.

She seethes. "What have you done Vlad?"

His resounding chuckle grates her ears, he's already so smug and he's barely moved a finger. "Nothing... yet. But I fear your puppy hasn't got much time."

_'Her puppy'_

Thinking about it there was only one person who the evil bastard could have been referring to. Inova growls into the phone. "If you hurt _her_ -" Vladimir cuts her off with a condescending dark chuckle.

"What will you do?" The question is one Inova knows not how to answer, she's stuck frozen with an open mouth as the man’s smug tone grows. "You are powerless my love, you have no clues, no direction. There is nothing you can do to stop me... unless." There it was the miraculous loophole that would solve all the woman's problems.

"Unless what!?" Inova snaps, the longer he refuses to speak.

"You _give in_ to me." It was as she had feared. He hadn't given up on the twisted idea that somehow, they were perfect for each other. He still thought she was the same woman she's been all those years ago.

Inova could feel her patience wane. "Where are you Vladimir?" The man’s voice is a purr, a frightening contrast to the sounds of screams in the background. As if Inova wasn't overcome with dread already.

"Turn on the telly my dear to find me and be quick. I'm getting _bored_." He hangs up without another word.

Inova runs back into Fury's office ignoring the various alarms she triggers by pacing through security without a second glance. She's running so fast as she crashes through his door that the wind, she produces pushes Hill and Fury back a few inches. Both ready themselves for a fight before recognising her. "Inova?"

"Nick, how do you turn on the news?" In her flustered state she taps uselessly at the tablet on his desk, needing to find Carly. Maria stops her actions by taking the device herself and clicking the right things to allow footage to be shown on the wall close by. 

Vlad certainly knew how to make a scene, especially a public one. If she were to stop him the scene would be bloody, he 'd purposely chosen a space in broad daylight so everyone could see exactly what they were capable of.

He was on fifth avenue, not alone but with other wolves. Possibly from the Lupian pack, Inova pieced together. They hadn't hurt anyone yet, but they were doing a perfect job of terrorising people and getting them to run. 

Carly was being dragged behind Vlad in chains, from what Inova could see she was limping and had a few bruises on her body but apart from that appeared okay.

Samantha and Darren would kill Inova themselves if she let their daughter be hurt.

"We gotta get agents out in the field now. I need STRIKE informed on the target, why don't we try get avengers down at the scene-" Inova hadn't moved from her place in front of the screen, nor had she been paying attention to Fury's orders. 

All she could see was her mistakes being taken out on people who didn't deserve it, again.

Vladimir wouldn't stop until Inova did as he asked, but she couldn't. Taking a deep breath, the woman spun around to face her friend. "Nick... I need you to do something for me."

"Inova we gotta go-"

She shakes her head at him and grabs at his wrist when he tries to leave. "I've endangered your people enough and I won't do it anymore. I can't be that version of myself again, _please_ Nick. You have to do this for me." 

"What do you need me to do?"

"When I give in, _if_ I give in. I need you to tranq me, lock me away, never let me see the light of day again, I don't care. So long as no one gets hurt, can you do that for me?" Fury nods his head securing this agreement between them. Inova nods in return and heads out to end this.

*-*

They stand on opposite ends of the street, in a physical portrayal of what they always had been, two opposing beings too different to be together, yet bound by a false love.

Inova only has eyes for Carly, who seems to be in worse condition than she had originally feared. There was a bite mark on her neck Inova flinched at, before bringing her pained riddled eyes to Vladimir's own. 

"You fed from her." Inova hopes to convey how pissed she is at him.

Vladimir as always deflects.

"You made me wait."

"It doesn't have to be this way Vladimir; we can come to an agreement." The matter quickly escalates, SHIELD agents pour out from vans and cars around the perimeter, unwilling to engage with the vampire just yet. Seeing his position threatened Vlad orders the wolves to form a perimeter of their own around him and yanks Carly forward by the chain. He's using her as a fucking human shield.

"Enough of this!" It's like the next scene happens in slow motion. Vlad's fangs embed deeply into Carly's jugular, and he starts to drink. The sight unlocks a dormant part in her, she's quick to run over and dislodge her enemy from the girl. Hurriedly she passes the weak wolf over to Steve and engages in a fight with Vladimir before he can leave. 

The wolves of course do not take kindly to this. Each one tries to attack her, Inova braces herself for an attack that never comes. Instead, the wolves are shot at the same time one is hit in the snout with a familiar looking shield that leaves Inova breathless.

"Steve? What're you-"

Vladimir lunges for her before she can even finish her sentence and she fought to keep him occupied as Steve hurries to get Carly out of the way.

The longer the vampires grapple for dominance the more Inova believes she's truly going to have no choice but to kill him. Vladimir is fighting dirty, stabbing her with blades in locations she grunts at. Inova throws the man back and pulls the dagger from her body, the wound heals instantaneously but her distraction gives Vladimir the upper hand.

From his position above her, Vlad growls and slams Inova deeper into the concrete. When he speaks, his tone begging Inova to listen. "They'll never understand you the way I do, you'll never be loved by them."

From beneath him Inova's lips trembles. "I never needed them to love me Vladimir, just as I never needed your love. It's what you never understood, I loved you regardless of how you felt. As I do them." As he's processing the words, she flips their positions and tightens the grip she held on his neck, angling initially to rip his head from his body and end this.

"Do it, coward!"

Although she tried to disassociate from the situation, to end his life once again... she couldn't. There wasn't a bone in her body which could compel her to kill him. The vampire sheathed her fangs and dropped him back. 

_'Weak'_

The voice from inside her head startled her, it seemed Mina had fought against the suppressing technology long enough; now she wanted out! 

Inova fought to keep control of her own body but the change lurked beneath the surface. It was almost as if Mina purposely wanted the shift to hurt, for Inova to feel the unbearable torture. Mina cries in their mind, the sound of it alone piercing to the ear. With a flinch Inova turns to Fury from her position on the ground- she'd fallen at some point to her hands and knees- he's waiting for confirmation; she gives it to him with a nod.

At seeing the weapons raising to meet her, Inova tried to contain Mina long enough for the tranquilisers to sink in. Her bones groaned in protest, snapping and clicking like there was no tomorrow in consequence of resisting the change. Though she tried to be brave it got her nowhere, she was knocked down by the force of her spine elongating. The shifts agonising alteration vibrated across the expanse of her bones as she fell in a heap to the floor clawing at her ears to make the sound of Mina's screams stop.

A voice was yelling somewhere near her, protesting this entire thing. It was Steve, who had taken one look at the woman in pain and called her name in panic. 

"Get her!" Fury's puppets carried out the command and made a move for Inova. She was twisting and turning uncontrollably in spasms as the men grabbed at her, trying to bite and scratch. 

The Captain's voice is booming. "Fury what're you doing you're hurting her!" 

_‘AS IF YOU CARE'_ Mina's growl was directed at Steve from inside their head, Inova would have told her off if it weren't for her speechless condition. Somehow her mind took in the image of Steve shoving the men who tried to tie her down away. His look one of complete rage as one of the vans trunks popped open to reveal a containment cage.

"No, that's not happening Fury. You are not putting her in a cage!"

"Mr Rogers get the hell out of my way or I swear to god I will shoot her through you." Steve, ever the brave soldier got between Fury's weapons and the trembling woman. Only when he glances over his shoulder Inova's still, her breathing regulated as she stares at the ground.

"Please Steve, please it hurts." At first, he doesn't understand what she refers to, not until she tilts her head to the side and tugs at the collar around her neck. Steve's anger burns anew as he glares back at Fury.

"Captain, you need to step away!"

Inova forces Steve's eyes back to her face, her eyes filling with tears. "Steve, please. Take it off, please it hurts...Stevie it hurts." The nickname has the last of Steve's resolve melting away.

"I'm telling you now Cap, that is not her!"

The blonde barks back at him. "Fury save it!" Steve naively uses his thumbprint to get the collar off Inova's neck, knowing he was one of the few trusted with the ability to do so. Inova's in tears, crying for him to do so, as far as he's concerned it's the easiest decision he's ever had to make. 

To say he's shocked when the violet in Inova's eye is taken over with an intense blue is an understatement, the shock gets worse when she grabs him by the neck and flings him back onto a jeep right by Nick.

Now having gained the attention of every person in the parking lot, including Vladimir and his pack of wolves, Mina makes a point to crack her knuckles and inhale the air.

"It's been a while since I've felt this. Oh, why hello Nick." The wave she sends his way is reciprocated with a sneer, Mina giggles. "What? You didn't miss me?" Vladimir's actively trying to scamper away, Mina thwarts his actions with a glare.

He's shitting it so much, that he commands the Lupians to attack the woman. The large wolves obey, crowding in around Mina who merely laughs. The wolf doesn't even have to brace herself; she simply stands her ground and makes direct eye contact with every single one of them.

Like the weaklings they are, the Lupians cower after recognizing Mina's designation. When the wolves bow their heads in respects and back away from her, she catches the frightened eyes of Vladimir.

"You should have known better Vlad." Mina purrs. “After all, no wolf could ever disobey, an _alpha_."

The bastard’s amber eyes are alight in pure fear and the feeling feeds her brutal nature. " _H-he_ said you were gone!" Mina ignores the vamp’s words and doesn't bother to question who exactly _he_ is. Instead she smirks and does what Inova was too weak to do.

The shift into her wolf form is without pain this time, as she wills her bones to break and grow in time with the fur across her frame. Vladimir is too weak to run, and even if he tried, he couldn't possibly outrun the wolf in her true form. 

The Captain watches in awe as the large wolf's jaws snap in teases to frighten Vladimir more. It was obvious she was toying with her food, something he was sure Inova would never do. Steve's incapable of understanding the situation yet something in him tells him this is not right.

It's too late to intervene, with a final low growl the wolfs jaws widen to the brim, crashing down onto Vladimir's body headfirst. The vampire’s screams are audible even from where he's being bitten into from inside the wolfs mouth and watching the barbaric scene is unbearably disturbing. 

Steve cannot bring himself to look away.

Even Fury's grip slackens on his weapon.

The massive wolf had torn Vladimir to shreds, stray guts surrounding the fur on its mouth as well as the ground around it. As the blonde watches the wolf lick it's chops the shift occurs once again leaving Inova in her bloody clothes.

There's no time for words as the wolves from earlier crowd their position and Steve once again brace himself for battle, Hill from beside him does the same with a gun trained forward; it's an unnecessary action. They're already backing away with growls of compliance as what once was Inova struts towards Fury.

Maria clocks her gun back. "Sir?"

"Do not engage!" Fury bites back, Mina's volatile he knows this more than anyone here. She begins toying with him, her hands grab an agent from his position without force, the man goes willingly into the arms of who should be an avenger; he doesn't even realise the danger he's in.

"Oh Nick," The wolf chastises, stroking a finger delicately over the man’s cheek as one would an injured animal. "I've spent years hoping humans may learn the error of their ways, but you never do." The agents neck snaps between her bare hand. "Follow me Fury, and I'll give you another reason to fear me." Steve can do nothing but watch on in utter bafflement, when the woman in Inova catches his eye she frowns. It's a momentary reaction to seeing him but he can't help but feel its significance.

She's gone the next moment he blinks.


	16. Trading Sides... Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite the scurry and bustle there is only one thing that catches Mina's attention.
> 
> The person inside the chamber.
> 
> She knows his face, such an old face, an impossible face!
> 
> If she were able, she'd faint; alas this was not a possibility for the wolf. So instead she hides all surprise from her features and swallows down the bile rising from deep within her.
> 
> Why did all things have to go to shit just as they got good?

"Here you go love." Mina's eyes slightly narrow at the pet name this Josie had given her but for once she let it go, taking the drink and downing it instead.

"More." This becomes her favourite word as searing heat slips down her throat wave after wave and still she feels absolutely nothing, 9 shots in Mina starts to grow restless. It seems her show has gained her an audience.

"How much you gonna drink sweetheart?" Again, ignoring the pet name, Mina stares at the strange man who posed the stupid question.

Deciding to have fun instead of causing a further scene the wolf smirks dangerously. "More than you." See the thing is if he just walked away after the comment, he would have kept the five hundred dollar bills he had stored in his pocket.

Man’s downfall however will always be feeding their huge egos.

"Wanna bet." With those words we're both seated at a table, the entire bar forming a circle around us. Those at the pool table have joined in the show, as well as the heavily drunk, gigglers, underaged you name it.

Josie, the owner of _Josie's -_ yeah _-_ in a rundown street in Hell's kitchen is dishing out the shots rapidly as Mina and the fool tip em back, relentlessly Mina's powered through with ease watching his features change with every drink consumed. She's remained still, expressionless, sober as he starts to sway in his seat after what is his 6th shot of 18% tequila. Any minute this fucker is gonna throw up Mina can tell yet there's still 8 shots to be consumed, four each. Good thing she bet five hundred on this fucker.

"H-had e-enough." He slurs watching her with hooded eyes as he sees she's stopped drinking to observe.

"You're going to throw up if you drink anymore tequila."

"W-whatever." Mina doesn't even need to utter anymore, he reaches for the shot, it doesn't even take a second for him to rethink this however, as it touches his lips he pulls back from the table and dry heaves. A gleeful smile on Mina's lips is stained there as she reaches for her remaining four shots taking them like a pro as his liver knocks out and he pukes out his entire guts. The crowd cheers Mina's victory- Josie lifting her arm announcing her triumph- while Mina... Mina remains sober even after all the fucking alcohol abuse.

Unsatisfied the wolf takes up her prize money whilst people tap her on the back with 'congrats' others already getting back to their preferred activities. After all the excitement dies down Mina still feels a pair of eyes focused on her.

Turning to the left her blue orbs meet a man with circular blacked out glasses on, further scrutiny allows her to realise he's blind. 

Huh.

"I'm impressed," The blind man does this grin thing which Mina appreciates the beauty of for a second, he's clearly trying to flirt with her. "Not a lot of women who can out drink drunk Pete."

"Well, there aren't a lot of women like me." His grin widens slightly at Mina's smooth choice of words, and it’s funny because she gets the feeling, he's checking her out even as that's not possible.

"I bet," His hand is held out. "Matt Murdock."

Mina stares dumbfounded.

Last name basis huh?

She grabs his hand appreciating the courtesy and introduces herself back. "Mina."

"No last name."

"Nope. Just Mina."

He laughs despite this fact. "Well just Mina, if there aren't many women like you, what makes you so special?" On this comment which he clearly intended for her to respond with something sultry too Matt leans in, she's going to answer but a ring distant in the corner draws the wolfs attention.

Josie answers it, seconds later her eyes find Mina's and she gestures to the phone walking over to the spot where the wolf and Matt talk at the bar.

"Phone call, for you." Mina wonders, her perfect brows arching in curiosity.

"Not now Josie." Matt answers.

"Not you Matt, the woman." That gets Matt's attention, Josie hands Mina the phone and Mina takes it, excusing herself as she listens to the caller on the other end.

"A black SUV is parked outside awaiting your entry Mina, upon entering you will be transferred to the airport and flown to Moscow. The boss wishes to see you." The line is cut dead.

Mina sits still for a second, hands Josie the phone then glances back to Matt.

"I apologise Matt Murdock. I've got to go. If I'm ever in Hell's Kitchen again, I'll be sure to contact you." With a brief squeeze to his shoulder Mina leaves him and the bar emerging into the chilly night whereas promised a black SUV does indeed wait on the curb. The woman doesn't know what she's thinking, for all she knows this could a trap set up by S.H.I.E.L.D.

Yet, there she stood staring at the blacked-out windows ridiculously trying to get the gist of what exactly was going on.

A sudden shift then the door to the back is open and out steps none other than Agent Rumlow- Mina remembers him from Inova's memories - out of uniform and giving nothing away by his expression all he does is gesture to the car.

"You gonna get in?"

Mina cocks a hip. "You work for S.H.I.E.L.D."

Rumlow snorts, his frame leaning cleanly on the open door as if the fact humours him somehow; Mina wants to wipe the smirk right off his face. "Not as much as you'd think, come with me and the boss will explain it."

Mina- knowing Inova hated this man- thought, why the fuck not and got in.

*-*

She's been in Russia for over a week now.

It's new year’s day and there's been nothing apart from payed for hotel privileges, paid for outfits- which are all designer by the way- not to mention booked reservations for expensive dinners at restaurants she has to attend alone because she's yet to meet the man who wanted brought her here.

Mina sits on the ledge of her hotel balcony just breathing in the air, soon the dark sky will be alighted with colours of infinite imagination, to the humans below they would represent hope and dreams new beginnings.

Ugh.

Everything Mina detested about them; fragmented traditions used to block out the true horror of their very existence. 

The plague that is humanity forgotten to idolise a bunch of fucking fireworks.

Typical.

Even now, after all these years of being stuck watching the world through another person's eyes she still didn't understand them. Maybe whoever wanted her to in Russia knew she felt this way, maybe they wanted to show her the world in a new light.

Her attentions set on the empty suite behind her.

Yeah right, they can't even be bothered to turn up to speak with the wolf. Teach her how to see the world, give her a break.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Mina rolls her eyes; it was no doubt Rumlow with more instructions. How long did a woman have to wait?

"What do you want Rumlow?" Despite the underlying threat in her voice the response was a chuckle, not even belonging to the man mentioned. Mina had analysed every sound that man made, this was not one of them. 

It was too cold.

"Dinner 12:01 the driver will get you to the restaurant on time. Yours is the reservation for two, be there in the outfit delivered to the door." The line went dead but she held the phone to her ear for a few moments more.

It appeared her mystery man would soon be unveiled.

The door is knocked upon.

*-*

Sitting here, in this lovely restaurant alone with a willow cobalt blue off the shoulder dress that ends right above the knee brings Mina to a realisation.

One that seemed rather daunting.

She has allowed herself to be controlled by a lower lifeform she had yet to even meet. They requested she show up here in the outfit chosen for her, let them feed her with what they see fit and not once even questioned it. Part of Mina is blaming her insanity to the simple fact of knowing her actions piss Inova off; which despite everything is bringing joy to her heart.

During her thinking a shadow falls over the table, "Mind if I sit?" Mina choses to shrug nonchalantly a gesture the figure takes as an invitation, the wolf has yet to set eyes upon him but already he feels familiar.

"I must say you look rather beautiful this night Mina." At the use of _her_ name Mina finally peers up, the man who sits before her is not what she imagined. Set in his late seventies most likely, his blonde hair lay thin atop his head if those weren't enough of an indication to his age the wrinkles scattered on all stress points were enough. "I apologise for the wait my dear, work has kept me rather busy." He flags down the waiter effortlessly not once averting his gaze from her, when the man inquires as to how he may be of service this familiar stranger orders a bottle of champagne, not once missing a beat as the bottles French origin rolled off his tongue.

"Impressionnant..." Mina feels the need to feel the silence with praise. This need of course becomes weighed down by her curiosity rather quickly. "and yet I still have no idea who you are, would you care to fix this?"

"Straight to business? I didn't take you for the kind to be all work no play." Mina gives the man a wry smirk in response.

"I've played for over a week now, I'm tired of your games. Answers now or I cause a scene _we_ along with all these by standers won't forget." If anything, her threat only amuses him, a smile that says 'oh I know exactly what you're capable of' glints his lips.

"I must say you're very different from Inova and it's not just the American accent." Again, Mina's eyes narrow at him, attempting to figure out his point. "Why don't you demonstrate," His plot thickens, finally turning interesting as he makes a wild gesture to the whole room. "Show me the scene you can cause in let's say 2 minutes. You do that to my satisfaction, and we'll see all about those answers?" He taps something on his phone which knocks out the cameras. "Do we have a deal?" 

Was that permission to go reckless?

 _'PLEASE DON'T MINA!'_ Inova screams at her from inside their mind and Mina snaps at the order, how dare the vampire beg her to show mercy. The moment the waiter comes around and puts down the champagne Mina grabs him by the bowtie effectively crushing him onto the table, with a single snap his neck is broken, body slumped to the floor.

A woman screams in the background, at the alarm people start to panic, then the real fun starts.

The wolf stalks over to the screamers table in a cobalt blue flash, ripping her throat apart with her extended teeth. Tasting blood fuels, her on as she chews through the corpses husband next, his body falls lifeless to the ground alongside hers. People scream tormented by the scene, but Mina hears only joyous laughter amid chaos and it's coming from her own self.

They run like hopeless creatures to an escape, always their only fucking inclination. However, Mina is faster, so much faster and gets to the doors blocking their exit.

"No one leaves!" They all shriek.

***-***

Toward the end it became pathetic for Mina to hear, every one of them begged for a mercy which had not been given. Mina -after making sure the dead were all in fact that- sat down opposite the man once more.

Slightly out of it, covered in a cocktail of blood; smiling, nonetheless.

The wolf leans over the table to get the champagne bottle that remained intact unlike the rest of the place, she corked it open with the grace of a swan consuming half the bottle afterward flawlessly.

"How was dinner?" The familiar yet not man asks as if she had eaten a three-course meal and not a restaurant full of innocent people.

With a flirty smile her response is simple. "Bland." The man laughs, laughs till he's red in the face.

"My little biter, you have exceeded all of my hopes for you, which of course means you're entitled most definitely to answers." Mina's brow raises in question. "Anyone who can kill as much innocent people as you did in as little time as 2 minutes is worthy in my eyes." Mina beams at his praise, he was the first human in a while after all to treat her with such kindness.

"Well, the other option was to pay for the expensive champagne you ordered, this was by far the most appealing course of action." He nods to this, then it is as if a filter has been dropped from his being.

"My name is Alexander Pierce, Head Secretary of S.H.I.E.L.D and I want to offer _you_ Mina, the opportunity of changing the world." He goes on to explain how the world and all its inhabitants need control, a basic factor to rid the planet of all its bad. Apparently, he understands what Inova and S.H.I.E.L.D had reduced her to, a pet. Made to endure the careless treatment from inferior people. He says he understands just what revenge she must be wanting to hash out and like a fool Mina believes he knows her in some twisted way.

All the while Inova screams her protests, Mina pretends not to care though. 

Working with Alexander Pierce for some reason is giving Mina direction, almost as if she was meant to meet him, thus sprung from this one night on new year’s a relationship foreign to her in every way but one, he let her kill, he liked it. 

Funnily enough, so did she.

*-*

Days turned to weeks which effortlessly escalated into months. All too soon Alex- as Mina's nick named him- had begun to trust the wolf's willingness to him along with his cause, so on gut instinct brought his little project to a base somewhere back in America. He doesn't give away any specifics all she knows is she's there to find out exactly what Pierce has planned and what he's a part of.

"My dear biter," Mina smiles at the secretary, whose attention quickly falls onto her grey bodycon jumpsuit. 

Any ordinary woman in a psychopath's hideout who so happened to oversee this crazy group would be lost to fear. Not her though, she's beyond happy. Nothing could ruin this perfect turn of events for her, nothing! "I want to introduce you to our very own ghost story!"

On his glorious announcement the metal doors crank open to reveal some sort of stone lab, there is a chamber with a window inside surrounded by quite a few doctors.

Despite the scurry and bustle there is only one thing that catches Mina's attention.

The person inside the chamber.

She _knows_ his face, such an old face, an impossible face!

If she were able, she'd faint; alas this was not a possibility for the wolf. So instead she hides all surprise from her features and swallows down the bile rising from deep within her.

Why did all things have to go to shit just as they got good?

*-*

It takes her a moment to recognise Pierce's voice beside her, _had he been talking this entire time?_

"...for the future of our children, their children and any future generation." His eyes meet his little biters as he gives her the speech that could seemingly throw the world into retrospect. "First of course there are few that need to be disposed of, in order for our cause to survive." The wolf almost sneered at the man, suddenly realising this was his cause not hers.

Her throat is cleared she needed to think rationally. "What does this-" Wool covered arms gesture wildly around the room. "-have to do with S.H.I.E.L.D?" Pierce observed her with a wild gleam in his eye.

"Isn't it obvious, this isn't about S.H.I.E.L.D at all, my dear. This is _HYDRA!_ " As if planned someone had pressed a button on a console and the chamber in the room flickered almost to life making various noise, the most occurring however this whoosh of what sounded like gushing air.

Mina faltered, her world turning on its axis and changing before her very eyes. Clearing her rapidly drying throat Mina managed to ask clearly. "What's happening?"

"The Winter soldier is being reanimated, 2013 is a big year for HYDRA- since the world's become too occupied with the incident between Tony Stark and the mandarin we have an abundance of time, now all our contacts are in place we can start completing the infiltration process."

Infiltration?

"Infiltration of what?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D!" Inova pounded against the fabric of their link, clawing, scratching at the walls of her brain. All too soon the sensations couldn't be ignored triggering Mina's excuse to wonder into the hallway where no agents were scurrying around.

Where no one could hear her.

"What do you want?" Mina growls as she appears in the location Inova has chosen for them to speak in, it's an interrogation room. Behind the familiar plain desk Inova sits in a tight violet pantsuit with matching white blouse and pumps. "How very conservative of you." Mina observes dryly glancing down to her own attire- a blue suit, Inova eyeballed the girl clearly holding back her anger. Mina knowing what storm would be heading her way took the seat opposite- waiting.

"You are a fucking bitch!" Here it comes, the wolf rolls her eyes with a vicious sigh.

"Give me a break-"

“Vladimir-“ Inova chokes off, her chest constricts in a pain she’d thought she was over. Mina raises a brow when she sees the weakness on Inova’s face and almost dares her to say any more on the monster. Inova doesn’t, she schools her features and carries on. "HYDRA? You take over my body and instead of doing something- oh I don't know like go on a nice vacation, have a little fun- you decide to work for freaking **HYDRA**!" Mina shot up in her seat.

"I didn't exactly know it was HYDRA, did I? I just thought Pierce was corrupt a bit, you know like sociopathic kinda crazy, I didn't know he was a fucking Nazi!" Inova can only laugh condescendingly in her face.

"You've been killing innocent people Mina!"

"I'm kind of a monster it's what we do!" Her shouting leaves Inova spluttering out her next argument.

“They’re using you for whatever scheme they have planned and what’s worse is they have Bucky!” Guilt forces Mina to turn away.

_“I know-“_

Inova’s sneering now. "Are you forgetting the promise we made to Abe!" From her position Mina snaps her head back to the vampire.

" _We,_ " She spits. "didn't promise Erskine anything, because unless you're forgetting you've kept me locked up for decades!" That provoked Inova's silence.

Mina’s not letting anything go though, she crowds in close and snarls back at the vampire. “You told me all the wolves were dead.”

Inova has the decency to avoid her eye. “I know. They were supposed to be.” The wolf scoffs.

“Of course, can’t have the _runts_ running around can we.” Her mocking tone is scathing, a direct reference to what Inova’s mother had taught her to think; Inova flinches.

Obviously, she tries to defend herself. “I never said that.”

“No, but you wanted to.” Inova has nothing to say to this, her mouth falls shut. Mina can tell their squabbling isn’t helping the situation, she tries to throw the vamp a bone. “It’s not such a bad thing. Packs are family orientated creatures they don’t go stirring trouble outside of their borders… and they don’t fucking _eat people_.” Well, okay she wasn’t completely over being kept prisoner, she still had some bones to pick.

For a few sinking moments, the vampire is silently considering the events. “I swear to you Mina, I didn’t know he was alive, if I did I would have-“

Mina butts in, her head cocks and her brows raise. “Would have what? Let me save him, let me _have him_. We both know you wouldn’t, you’re selfish like that.”

“The past is the past Mina.”

Mina laughs mockingly. “The past where you turned my existence into your very own party trick, that past!”

Inova’s guilt is all encompassing, she absently strokes the skin of her neck. “Nothing I say could ever make up for that.”

“Damn straight.”

Few minutes pass when no women dare speak, Inova eventually slouches in defeat.

"You can't be serious about this Mina, what they're doing here isn't humane. He's being frozen for Christ sakes like a puppet until they find use of him. You've got to save him." The wolf is already dismissing the very notion.

"I don't even know what's going on here, saving him now is certainly out of the question." Inova's eyes widen at Mina's choice of words.

"What do you mean?"

Mina's next words are soft, blunt even. "I mean until I can find out more about what exactly HYDRA's planning with S.H.I.E.L.D and Bucky I'm gonna have to co-operate with them, work my way up the ranks." Inova's face has screwed up into one big ball of great confusion.

"I don't understand-" Mina gives her the 'seriously' face, the one where her brow arches perfectly and her pout becomes emphasised.

"Did you really think I'd be stupid enough to actually trust these people, HYDRA was based on Nazi bullshit and those mother fuckers were insane. Just like Alexander Pierce is, I don't give a shit if he's American or how HYDRA has somehow evolved, they're going to pay!" Inova nods her head.

"That's another thing I wanted to say, I know his face, he was in Fury's office one time. Remember that day I went to go chat with him prior to the incident with Carly."

Both thought back.

_"My folks are out of town visiting Jen and Vinny down south and I opted to stay home, plus dude Ben and Jerry's is an ice-cream brand." She laughs. "I'm not a weirdo who secretly has men frozen in her freezer!"_

_In between her laughter a man walked out of Fury's office wearing a black suit, his hair was a fading blonde colour and he looked to be in his late 70's. Inova paid him no attention but did catch out of the corner of her eye his slight grin in her direction as she wrapped up her call._

"I remember that." Mina realises something as her brain catches up. "I can't do anything until I delve further into the reason Bucky is here in the first place." At the mention of the lost soldier Inova's face falls slightly, Mina- from the link they share- knows she's thinking about the day he died.

"Look." She begins slowly, the sympathy thing so foreign to her that for a second, she doesn't know what to do. "Bucky ending up In HYDRA's evil clutches wasn't our fault."

"I got drugged." The vampire stubbornly blames herself, so Mina forms the interrogation room they currently reside into the comfort of a riverbed in Edrania that they’d often sought solace. They both sit on the grass, feeling the imitation of dampness beneath them.

"Yeah because Schmidt did the unexpected. If HYDRA did this to Bucky imagine what they would've done to a self-healing, shape morphing hybrid like us. We could've been reduced to nothing but a pile of bones with matching sacks of meat! We almost were!" Inova understood her reasoning but that didn't stop her from feeling this unbearable guilt.

The vampire sighs, "Maybe, but I could've been smarter, if I had just stuck close with the others, I could've carried out the mission and saved him." Mina shakes her head vigorously as the girl’s English accents becomes thicker due to her upset.

"Then what, he lost his arm. He would've been shipped off back home, dismissed and forced to live with the pathetic sympathies from widowers, haunted by the memory of the violet eyed woman who saved him only to deliver him straight to hell. It's not like we could've stayed with them."

"Yeah but-" Inova was gonna continue with her show of sadness but Mina stopped her pity party with more facts.

"Even then let's be honest, it's a high possibility he'd try to commit suicide hearing the news about what Steve did to save the world and not being there to stop him. It would've broken him." Fair point Inova thinks, seeing the look on her face Mina decides to do something she never has before.

Pats Inova on the shoulder in a sign of abnormal companionship.

"I hate it when we fight." Inova mumbles into the morning air and Mina snorts.

"Really, never would've guessed it. What with the entire compression of my being stuff and all that." Mina can't help the bitter tone from escaping her mouth. Inova seems to want to say something but is cut off.

 _"Eh Miss?"_ Their surroundings shook, Mina stares up at the sky.

"Someone's trying to wake us up." At Mina's explanation Inova sighs.

"You better go then, make sure HYDRA doesn't win." Mina raises an eyebrow at the resistance she's not receiving.

"That's it, no fighting, no lecture?"

"Not this time," Mina scoffs at Inova's doe eyes, the vampire continues undeterred. "Plus, it's about time you got to play, I still don't agree with the killing though."

Mina shrugs it off. "I'll try to keep it to a minimum, plus it's ok if it's bad people, right?"

"No," Inova can't help but sigh fondly. "-but I know you won’t listen to me so just go." With a final goodbye Mina heads out of their link and into the world of humans.

Her eyes form slits.

"Ma'am the Boss wants you." Mina nods resuming her façade, she gets up from the floor she'd sat on and brushed whatever dust on her off.

Eyes trained on her as she re-entered the room.

"Sir, maybe it's best if we don't have her in here for this." She hears one of the lab geeks whisper to Alexander, super hearing making his whisper extra loud.

The head of HYDRA silences him with a hand. Mina joins the boss at his side, keeping any thoughts out of her head at the sight of Bucky being taken out of the reanimation chamber. Obviously, the agents who had been tasked with the job were struggling slightly, Bucky wasn't co-operating as easily as they'd liked. Mina blamed it on the unknown everything, this was probably not the same place he'd been put to sleep in.

"Get him into the chair!" Alexander ordered but the agents couldn't quite get a hand on him for the doctor to sedate him.

"Would you like me to interject?" Mina asks with a sweet smile but entirely selfish intentions- she doesn't want anyone else touching him with their hands; she can't let them touch him.

"Sir-" The same geek interrupts but Pierce just nods at his hybrids request.

"Thank you, biter."

The wolf gives him her brightest smile then goes to take care of the situation. The soldier’s long hair covers his crazed eyes as his head's currently lowered, he doesn't see the wolf approaching him. Only one agent holds him now as the other has just been thrown across the room, seeing a window Mina takes the opportunity to intervene with swiftness. Her right hand gently grabs his metal arm by the wrist holding it with a strong grip as she guesses it's powerful, the assets face immediately rises to the woman's. 

A woman who he'd seen before.

KNOWN/KNOWN/INCORRECT ANALYSIS/UNKNOWN/BLUE EYES/KNOWN/LOCATION?/ITALY?

The soldier thrashes in this woman's arms. The data input he's trying to progress is overwhelming at the sight of her.

BLUE EYES/NO/VIOLET EYES/VIOLET/KNOWN?/KNOWN/IMPOSSIBLE/IMPOSSIBLE DAME/NO/

Mina stands closer to him now as he seems to have at least a bit of hesitance knowing he can't move his arm which she's sure doesn't happen to him very often. On the bright side the agent that was hanging on to him kind of gets that this mystery lady has the situation handled, backing off at the girl’s lapis blue glare.

He's gotten over his hesitance but somehow knowing what he plans to do Mina grabs his other wrist just as he aims it for her face. With it clutched firmly in her hold she strains her strength against his to hold both in front of him trapped in between the both; effectively locking him in a hold.

The Winter Soldier is stunned at the sensation of being overpowered, he works against her as much as he can, but his efforts are futile. A grunt is wrongly emitted from his throat, it's only as she pushes him back into the wall pinning him there that he realises he's beat and all his efforts of escape cease. Mina watches as he starts heavily inhaling deep breaths instead of fighting her.

SADNESS/ SADNESS/INCORRECT PROGRAMMING/DELETE/DELETE/EMOTIONAL SHUTDOWN UNDERWAY/

She smirks triumphantly at the thought of taming him, "That's it." The Winter Soldier grimaces at this feeling of being restrained, Mina- noticing the facial gesture immediately- guesses that's a fear of his but pretends not to care.

As he's not struggling anymore Mina calls over the doctor with the sedative, who then injects the asset with it. As the Winter Soldier loses consciousness his body slumps into Mina's arms who catches him. The last thing registering in his mind were those blue eyes.

"Lovely work my dear, now put him in the chair." Mina does as Pierce says, obeying command and all that. As he's lowered into it his head slumps forward slightly; she must resist the urge to push the man's brown hair out of his eyes.

Why does she want to do that so badly?

The scientists and doctors- whatever they were rushed around him securing him in the seat.

Alexander, seeing Mina back up to let them do their work gives her an odd inspection. "Problem my dear?" The wolf holds back a grimace gazing at the soldier’s metal arm to shift his focus.

"He's been armed with a cybernetic arm, it's for his benefit of course, he lost a limb in world war 2; it does however serve Hydra's purpose also." His explanation is taken in, but it does nothing to stop Mina's observations.

"He's a man." The HYDRA leader's head tilts as he examines his project.

"He is not a man he is a weapon, are you feeling?" This question surprises Mina who goes stiff at the mention of feelings.

"I don't feel, do not forget that."

"I won't if you won't." It sounds dangerously like a threat coming out of his old chapped lips.

She chooses to continue undeterred by his tone. "It was a simple observation." Her eyes focus from the old man to the younger one and she smiles. "This weapon of yours is the plan to take over S.H.I.E.L.D is it not?" Her question is completely innocent, so the blonde man responds.

"Not my only plan, you are also a part of it." Mina feigns surprise.

"Moi?" Alexander is smiling right back at her; he says no more and instead directs an agent to take Mina to the room she'll be staying in. Mina spares one glance to the sleeping beauty then waves flirty at Alexander proceeding to follow the agent out of the murky den.

 ***-***

The random agent, whose name Mina didn't manage to catch left a few hours ago. She's been googling ever since he left and has found out that Alexander Pierce was in fact a chairman on the World Security Council, the U.S. Secretary of defence and apparently also the fucking head of Hydra. 

Even after declining a Nobel peace prize, he sure did get around.

He was the one who appointed Nick Fury as the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. He's so deep inside the mainframe that it's no wonder they haven't figured him out yet.

Despite Mina's hatred for S.H.I.E.L.D she had to admit this was gonna end badly for them.

Maybe it was a good thing that she was... What was she doing spying? Guess you could call it that. Mina continued to scroll down the bio of one Alexander Goodwin Pierce until there was a knock at the door.

"Yes?"

"It's the boss Ma'a- Uh Mina. He's asking for you." Mina goes to the door and opens it. 

"Lead the way." His face remained passive as he turns to guide her.

He takes her to some gym area of sorts and what catches her attention immediately is the Winter Soldier (seriously who named him that) as he trains. His t-shirt is discarded, his body drips with sweat and watching him viciously punching boxing bag after boxing bag is making me Mina feel hot under the collar so to speak.

Did it get like one hundred degrees hotter in here?

"Fascinating isn't it?" Mina didn't even notice Alexander leaning against the wall until he spoke the revelation initiated her to put up her façade to remain emotionless. "He's working out the muscles." Alex explains.

"He's definitely something." She doesn't put emphasis on the he part because she knows it will only store doubt in the relationship she worked hard to build with HYDRA's head. A relationship she did not need broken because she refused to dehumanize the man. 

This way he'd pass it off.

"Будет!" Pierce's sudden command is obeyed instantly by _The Winter Soldier_ who stops just as the bag flies off its chains, sand pouring out all over the floor. He just stays frozen in that position breathing hard but not daring to move, Mina realises it's since Pierce hasn't _told_ him to do anything else yet.

They've completely brainwashed him.

"Come here and introduce yourself to your new partner." Mina raises her eyebrow at the partner thing a part of her wants to say something dramatic like, 'I work alone' but decides against it.

Still the asset obeys mindlessly his first inkling is to speak Russian when he reaches her.

"скучать." Mina translates this to miss.

"Мina предпочтительнее." She replies 'Mina is preferable' but those steel grey eyes give away no inkling of acknowledgement. 

For a few seconds there is silence, not even Alexander interferes.

Mina cuts the silence, "Whatever we say next could we say it in English?" Bucky seems to become unsure, Mina wanted to punch Alex in the fucking mouth. This was probably one of the only times he'd allowed Bucky to think for himself. 

"I should have noticed from your accent that you aren't originally from Russia." The soldier stated monotonously, his face remaining skilfully stoic just as his voice.

"I'm surprised you weren't given a file." The moment the comment came out of her mouth she wanted to face palm.

"I dont get files, only orders."

"I know what that's like." Mina throws a grin in Alex's direction and the tight-lipped grin he makes in return causes her skin to crawl.

"I've business to attend to in Washington, while I'm gone, you're both going to be prepped for an op in Sokovia." Bucky frowns too slight to be noticed for human eyes, the wolf can tell he wants to say something but won't or better yet can't. "You'll both return in 48 hours with a mission report understood?"

"Yes sir." Mina and Bucky repeat.

"Oh, and before I forget Soldier," Bucky being addressed focuses on the old blonde, "You are permitted to talk to Mina and Mina alone. Understood?" Bucky nods then Alexander leaves becoming nothing more than a bad smell that lingers in the air; he uses way too much cologne.

She turns to Bucky who's staring at her oddly, his lips parted, eyes narrowed. In return Mina gives him her own scrutiny when he seems to notice what he's doing he stops and turns his face neutral again.

"You two over here." It's an agent with some files in his hands, he's flipping through pages as another team of people enter the room. "The mission is a base in Sokovia that needs cleansing, S.H.I.E.L.D has gotten control of it, but it's needed for further HYDRA experiments. Both of you will leave for Sokovia in 0700 hours."

"What time is it now?" Mina questions partly for the reason of knowing Bucky can't but mostly because there were no windows and she couldn't tell whether it was night or day.

"0400." 

That makes the hybrid grunt, "Fucking time zones." In the middle of her complaint someone tries to remove her dress, impulse tells her to reach round and crush their hand.

"Hey!" The guy who did it appears shocked, clutching his hand in pain. "At least buy me dinner first."

"He's getting you ready for the mission." The same guy with the file’s states.

"I can get ready for the mission myself just show me the clothes." Then she spots more doing the same to Bucky and her frown deepens. "So, can he. We're not toddlers." Although she'd just defended him Bucky doesn't react, only reaches out for his outfit as they won’t do it for him. Mina for one - no matter how comfortable she is with her body- does not want to get changed around a bunch of Nazis.

"You can all get some work done we'll be out in a few." With that confident comment she instructs Bucky to grab his outfit with enough authority that he does it, she then picks up hers and walks them over to a door which leads to a storage room. It's full of gym equipment but is still spacious enough to change in, she pulls Bucky in by his arm and shuts the door loudly behind them. There's a switch on the wall so she flips it, the darkness fades and there's Bucky completely blank faced staring at her.

"You can dress now. Thought you'd want some privacy." She hears him drop his equipment so mirror his actions, as she takes in the quiet Bucky speaks, a tone barely above a whisper.

"Why?" Mina's surprised at first, he says it in such a way that makes her wonder if the word hadn't been used by him in a while. If not ever.

She thinks of a reply, "You deserve it." figuring blunt was the best way to go about things; he says nothing in return and goes to changing. 

In silence Mina took stock of her clothing.

-One black leather military grade leather catsuit, just shorts instead of the whole leg.

-The combat boots were black knee highs, there was also a left thigh holster for a smaller knife.

-Lastly two knee high compression socks, lady tight fit boxers and a sports bra they unlike the rest of the items were pink not black.

Mina had taken off the clothes she wore as she went along taking inventory and put the new outfit on. It felt comfy she noted, plenty of room for fighting.

"Is that bulletproof?" Huh?

He could've said anything they had after all both been naked in front of each other moments ago and that's what he chooses to take in.

"Yeah, there's padding of sorts in the layers-" Mina shrugs suddenly cutting herself off. "Even if it wasn’t, I wouldn't need it to be." the wolf takes in his reaction hoping to get a reaction; alas still blank. "You good?" She questions seeing his quirked brow.

"I can't reach behind to tighten the holster." He explains briefly.

"I'll do it." Without hesitance he turns around for her to do just that, he grunted when she pulled too hard. "Sorry." As if the word snaps into focus something in him he tenses.

"Y-you're the woman from earlier."

"You remember that?" Mina sounded vaguely surprised.

He turns around to examine her with his eyes, which were a disturbingly nice grey blue. "You're strong." He says instead of answering the question, those words are husked lowly. Which her body reacts to in a very bad way, she holds back the shiver he's induced from her.

"What can I say? I'm a rare specimen." Still emotionless he stares, right into her eyes. For the first time she finds herself thinking how he probably has no thoughts of what to think of her. 

He's just blanks up there.

"I-" A loud knock cuts him off.

"Hey! You both done in their foods ready in the mess hall." Ugh all these military terms were giving Mina a fucking headache.

"We're coming." Bucky follows her out of the closet, and they follow yet another agent into yet another room. This one is bigger than the training room and has more agents who each have trays of food on round tables.

Was this HYDRA or high school?

"Be seated, your food will come to you." They sat on the table right in the middle, the agents surrounding them. Mina wasn't one for awkward silences, so she asked Bucky if he'd been to Sokovia before.

He shakes his head after a few still minutes and by then their food is there.

A tray is put in front of Bucky, on it a plate with a liquid based mess, two bottles of water and some medication to go along with it.

Mina tries to take note of Bucky's medication before someone puts a plate full of raw meat in front of her face and her eyes home in on the disgust, on further examination it was pork.

She made a sound of displeasure as Bucky dug in with no comment.

"I don't want to eat this, it's stinks." The agent shrugged carelessly.

"Boss said to give you raw meat." At the man’s cluelessness Mina smirked.

"He didn't mean that kind of meat." The agent was getting annoyed now, so he leaned down right into Mina's face.

"Then what did he me-" She cut him off with a hand winding in his hair, with a jolt she battered his head on the table once just to teach him a lesson but ejecting Inova's vamp teeth allowing them to sink into his flesh was the real thing that killed him. Mina tore into his throat like it was nothing, which to her it was.

She drains him enough for his neck to snap. "Whoops." A hiss is released as his limp body falls to the floor in a lifeless heap. Bucky has been staring at the woman this entire time, not expecting that.

"Anyone else care to get on my bad side?" Since no one else said anything Mina took that as a sign to not delve any further into her show of power. Crimson stains her mouth which is why Bucky hands her his napkin.

"Thank you." He's quiet as he takes in her wiping the remains of the man off her lips licking and wiping accordingly, the soldier subtly eyes the agents around them before talking.

"Is everyone like you these days?" She frowns.

"What year do you think it is?"

"No one's informed me yet." The nonchalance which he says it with grates on Mina's nerves, the lack of care they handled Bucky with was unbelievable. Mina got off her seat and plunked herself down next to him, leaning in close to speak freely.

"You didn't hear it from me but... its 2013 the world really has changed a lot especially as of late." The wolf contemplated his reaction the more she explained. "When was the last mission?" Bucky doesn't answer her, just shovels another spoon full of whatever shit they've given him into his mouth.

Mina tries again, "Hey, its rude to ignore a lady." A few more beats and he was responsive again.

"2009 was the last mission." Mina's temporarily paused in anger; he'd been frozen for four whole years. The soldier opens his mouth to say more but is stopped when Rumlow approaches their table; Mina cannot help but gage Bucky's reaction to the double agent, he completely folds in on himself, all hints of a personality disappearing from his features too fast for anyone slow enough to realise.

Mina realises.

The Hydra agent shakes his head disapprovingly at the body lying on the ground. "You couldn't keep your hunger under control?" He deadpans and Mina shoots him her classic glare- as Inova likes to call it - where she pouts childishly but her eyes depict murder.

"Accident waiting to happen if I'm honest." Rumlow's response is to glare at her, she stares unflinchingly into his eyes in a silent challenge for him to say something about it.

He smartly chooses not to, a wise choice.

"You'll be glad to know that you won’t have to clean this mess up," On his cue two people in white suits get to work to remove the dead agent, Mina watches as not a drop of blood is left behind; not even on herself.

"Now both of you get your asses to the heli!" Bucky immediately stands at the command, like the perfect lap dog. Mina can't hold back her growl of hatred in Rumlow's general direction as she stalks past him following Bucky's retreating back. They pass more agents in the hallway, each side flanked with a while team geared up and armed, Mina felt Inova's rising hesitation on becoming involved with this for real. However, Mina knew if she was to gain HYDRA's trust, she needed to act the part. If this meant following them into the jaws of death- so be it.

They boarded some high-tech heli through the lowered ramp, it seemed the others were waiting for both of us because the moment they were in the others filed in accordingly. Each man sat down on the benches; she watched each one like a hawk until the hangar doors closed plunging the section into a dull light.

Apparently, the journey would take them a few hours, which made Mina frown. Wondering what she was to do was hard until she caught glimpse of Rumlow's freakishly annoying self. She smirked evilly, by the end of this he'll wished he'd never been born.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Truly thanks for reading guys, this fic has my whole heart and so do you. Kisses xx


	17. So, This Is Hydra

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They emerge from the castle to see a jet land; its presence means whoever this is they're important. The reason Alexander needed this base was still running through her head, he could've had any remote location elsewhere in Europe but a dead-end place like Sokovia. There was something here he needed.
> 
> What? Mina had yet to find out.

When they landed Mina immediately sped out of that metal coffin, for the entire journey she'd tried- believe her she'd tried- to get a fraction of her nail under Rumlow's skin but that asshat was tough. Every time she thought she had succeeded he threw another factor into the mix to throw me her off. Her impatience got to the point where the slightest irritation could set her off.

The Winter Soldier was out after her, a sniper had been placed into his hand at some point which he now invested his time in, his posture reflected his name perfectly. Not even the bite of the air seemed to evoke some normal human reaction in him. It was with utmost certainty in Mina's mind that the man she studied now hadn't the faintest idea how to be normal. 

He, in this moment was a soldier.

Soldiers weren't people after the war and poor, sweet Bucky had never left. Upon realising that those constant dark eyes now penetrated her own, she dismisses any other deductions.

Mina threw up her composure as if it were a coat and awaited instructions. Somewhere in Sokovia, that's what the pilot had said. What they'd be doing was still a mystery, their purpose still seemed invasive somehow.

After all the agents file out of the heli, each with a pistol holstered and a rifle placed in hands. Rumlow stalked out, the epitome of focused and barked his orders. The effect of this was instant, all men filed into formation awaiting instruction. Among them was the Winter Soldier and eventually Mina herself after the look on Rumlow's face toward her became murderous.

"The objective is to overtake this S.H.I.E.L.D facility. No survivors, report says over 87 agents currently occupy the place, we send in the killing machines first they get the majority then we pick off the rest!" His hands made a few gestures urging the others to hide within the perimeter when they'd hid only Winter and Mina remained.

"Great, so basically we do all the work whilst they hide like cowards." The comment was met with no reply, typically.

Yet Winter seemed to fathom whatever Rumlow meant so he set off, his gun cocked and stance ready for attack. Mina mirrored his posture preparing herself for the same. They carried on like this for a few minutes, the area seemingly secluded. It wasn't till Winter stopped; his hand placed in front of the wolf that she gathered there must've been a dozen people up ahead. Her hearing confirmed just that.

Winter whispers to her in Russian. "You take 12, I've got 6. Wait for my signal." Then he left her side and trekked into the direction he chose for himself, trees and shrubbery obscuring her vision of him. The thought of being left alone reminded Mina of the horror movie cliché and she refrained from rolling her eyes and followed his orders. As she grew closer a whiff of the incoming enemy blew by, her body instinctively crouched down behind convenient crates as she waited. For a few moments nothing came, no sound apart from idle chatter, no flashing.

When Winter said signal what exactly did, he bloody me-

'Argh!' came the grunt of pain after an inharmonious crack resounded against a tree. Coming out of her hiding place Mina bore her fangs at the sight of Winter shooting at stunned soldiers. The men uselessly fumbled for their weapons at the sight of the threat, alas the machine was too fast. Shooting expertly at their bodies in the locations which only a miracle could prevent from causing death. One, two, three. All it took was one more body falling to the snowy ground for Mina to join in the fight. Yearning greedily to feel the same sense of purification she sensed the HYDRA soldier was experiencing. 

Mina leapt over the crates and took out the man on Winter's 6, with a kick to the head the man was a goner.

The hybrid heard the grunt inspected the body and for a moment stood motionless.

Gleaming, glowing, wrapped around the man's finger in a silent promise was a wedding ring. Thoughts of his partner receiving the news of his death flashed in her mind, thoughts so full of chaos and grief burdened her enough that she didn't see the man aiming his gun at her until Winter yelled 'duck' in Russian.

The warning was heard too late, a bullet ripped into her shoulder throwing her out of the stupor and into the moment. She had foolishly left the soldier to defend himself all this time on his own. How was the wolf to gain HYDRA's trust if she couldn't even do this?

Mina wasn't about to let something get to her, so she threw herself into feral mode, shutting off any if not all emotional connection she held to any of what they were doing.

It was her and the enemy now.  
  


*-*  
  


Hits were thrown, people were killed as Mina and Winter stormed the castle so to speak. Roughly 20 minutes later -when their suits were covered with the blood of the bodies slain around them- Rumlow and his team approached the area. Barbarically shooting the bodies thought to still be breathing.

Mina had taken a knee after dropping the last body to the floor, recognizing the severity of what she’d done had done. The screams echoed between her ears and she had a feeling this sense of dread would only increase the longer she stayed 'loyal' to HYDRA.

Yet.

There was Bucky, sorry the Winter Soldier. His hair frayed from the amount of power he had put into destroying the enemy. With nostalgia she remembered how easily it seemed for him to control his body into doing exactly what he wanted it to. Not once had the cries of mercy distracted him, had the sound of bones become uncomfortable.

He hadn't felt any of it. 

This thought, at this moment in time, was all Mina could think about.

She’d been the same way before, comfortable with what she was taught to do. Her skills focused on killing and destroying by any means necessary.

This had been her entire life.

*-*

_Mina had been born into the Hybrid war, her father had been a general, her mother the protector of their pack. As a child the killing of her people had been normalized, but she was the youngest then and her mother had kept her away from the fight._

_The wolf thought nothing of it, until her family were slaughtered in a killing which she alone would survive. For whatever reason the monster who was sent by the queen to kill them had failed to find the cupboard her mother hid her in; Mina harboured a resentment for the queen._

_A bloodthirsty urge to kill her and end every single vamp had been engrained to her from that day. At only six, she was already seeking the means to fight, killing whenever she could. With no family to guide her she’d let the animal inside run wild, she was forced to become war smart and built herself a notable reputation the older she grew, and the longer war was waged._

_For decades Mina had been a figurehead for change and a symbol of hope for the wolf rebels who fought against the vampire queen tyranny. Millions of wolves had chanted her name, held her in high regard and looked to her for guidance in the five decades the war had went on for._

_The power had gotten to her head towards the end, it was unmistakable that with Queen V’s considerable forces and her ability to turn wolves against their own kind with her bewitching abilities that the war was coming to a close._

_Mina had been captured two years before it’s inevitable end, she’d never forget the day she’d been dragged from the battlefield to see the vampires queen; the woman who she’d come to know as Inova’s mother._

_Armoured guards had dragged her kicking and snarling in chains that prevented the transformation to the throne room. Mina had taken in the palace built on the graves of her ancestors and spat on the marble floors at any chance she got, her spit combined with the red of her blood._

_When the giant doors to the room banged behind them Mina tilted her head up to finally lay her eyes upon those responsible for all the death. The room held only a certain number of vampires, the Queen’s war board, her husband (not referred to as king for a reason), her son- who led the armies- and another figure who hung back; Inova._

_Mina had no care for those figures, she cared about one thing and one thing only. Glaring daggers into her family’s murderer, she faced the Queen with no fear, no hesitation snarled with all her worth._

_Only to have the woman laugh. “This is who the wolves have put their faith into?” The wicked woman drawled, as her gentle hand sipped at the blood from her drink. Mina was dying at the very moment from wounds sustained from battle, but she’d face her death with honour. “How disappointing.” From up close Mina could see how the woman differed from other vampires, despite her young façade her eyes were haunted by age. The young wolf felt herself captured in a dark look and was unable to stop it, the woman was evil incarnate, with dark voluminous curls and narrow features which had no business being on something so ugly._

_In a show of defiance Mina spat a thick wad at the Queen’s feet, once again she laughs, only this time the others do too; all except one._

_A woman, younger than the rest stood still just behind the throne. Just like her face, her body is still, and nothing betrayed whatever conflict she must’ve felt on the inside, but Mina swore the eyes held familiarity. There was something about the woman, who appeared close to Mina in age, she somehow differed from the rest._

_Instead of addressing her any further the Queen calls a name. “Inova!” The same woman Mina had been enthralled with had stepped forward rigidly at the words. “Here, my daughter is my gift to you.” Mina shudders, Inova’s violet eyes collide with hers, she’d heard the noise of her bones quivering, her eyes tell Mina a thousand things, the vampire is unsure of how to handle the situation._

_“Gift, your highness?” Inova asks unsure._

_“Yes, this prisoner shall be bound to you.” Inova’s eyes widen in shock as vampire guards clamp her arms together in the same chains Mina is in._

_“I don’t understand-” Her mother cuts the princess off, slapping her round the face with such force her entire head spins._

_“She is **yours** Sorven, for all eternity!” Whereas Mina is a struggling mess, tearing at her arms to be freed causing blood to spill. She’d heard horror stories of the one they called Sorven, heard the name whispered on the lips of dying men and women. She couldn’t be fused to her, couldn’t have her soul taken and placed into this monster. “This is the punishment I give you child, eternal life fused with the one thing you hate so much.”_

_“No! No, no, you fucking bitch, I’ll murder you, I’ll fucking end you!” Mina wailed the entire time the fusion had happened, only after her soul had been touched did, she black out from the pain._

_Waking up had been confusing for her, she’d had a consciousness, but she was staring down at what was left of her body. Her entire head had been exploded, left as nothing but squashed brains and bone._

_In her memory she never sees her old face, she’d forgotten what it even looked like._

*-*

“Hey!” The fog over Mina’s eyes cleared as she was torn from her memory.

Rumlow stood above her, a dark gleam in his eye. "Fighting tired you out puppy?" If the look of murder she painted on her face affected him he didn't show it. In defiance to both his address and tease Mina stood up to her full height eyes never straying from his.

"Did we get em all?"

"Yep," His eyes drop from her own blues onto his militarised tablet "-boss said to relax, after clean up gets here our little guest will be arriving to take over this hell hole." Keen ears perk up in interest.

"Guest?" Rumlow nods distractedly then without another word he stalks off, leaving Mina in the dust, or rather the snow. 

A single flicker of her eyes and she'd examine the entirety of the area. No one seemed to care about the state she was in but seeing as Rumlow had said relax she shook off what she could in a doggish way. Bits of human fell off her person, the sight almost evoked nausea.

Almost.

When done with her little performance, Mina turned remembering Bucky's presence only to find he had gone. An eyebrow raised in surprise as his skills were advanced enough to sneak away from a century’s old vampire hybrid. He was quite impressive, but the looming pain HYDRA had caused him burned like a fire in his soul, Mina's own could feel it.

No doubt the agents of HYDRA had rushed to get their perfect soldier clean, she tried not to let the fact seem bitter or hurt her in some weird twisted way. Even the dark side didn't truly care for her.

She supposed no one ever would. 

At the thought, Inova knocked on the link they shared urging Mina to communicate with her, the wolf stalled at first, finding the argument she knew they were bound to have to be rather not worth her time now. 

Instead the wolf opted to view the scenery portrayed to her, the Sokovian village could be seen from the height their location was in and its beauty was unmistakable. Then again so was its torment.

With advanced vision she could make out figures that moved within the streets, children raced around blissfully unaware of such a horror that had taken place up on the hill. Yet still under careful watch by the arm forces invading their city. 

She listened to their forced laughter for a while until the sound aggravated her. After, she examined the clean-up job the agents had well been into. Bodies were loaded into trucks and taken away never to be seen again. 

Fucking Nazi's.

They don't even show the dead respect.

"Hey Puppy!" It was Rumlow, a hose of some sort replaced the tablet that always seemed to be in his hands. "Boss wants you lookin pretty for the guest, wash time." Without warning he switched the device on, freezing water hit Mina square in the face and the protesting shriek left her mouth before she could stop it.

"Rumlow!" Mina can hear the bastard chuckling in delight as she struggles, which does nothing to calm her raging anger. She makes a blind lunge for him, collided with stone wall and falls on the floor.

Admittedly not the wolf's finest hour.

Rumlow turns the hose off shortly after with one last chuckle. The embarrassment of the situation however hadn't faded so she stayed cross legged on the floor moments after.

"There, nice and cleaned." She still hasn't moved from her position on the ground. "Now be a good girl and get into the clothes the boss got for you." Still hadn't moved.

The asshole sighed heavily then knelt in front of her, his hands came up and crooked themselves under her arm pits; he hoisted her up onto his shoulder.

"Put me down!" He ignores her protests, an action he seems to do a lot. Why hasn't she killed this man yet?

His chuckle resonates through Mina's being, "You wanna mope go ahead but the boss is gonna have both our necks if you don't look pretty, so shut up and deal with it." Mina ejects her fangs and he begin to laugh at the threatening hiss.

"Are you forgetting you can't hurt me, one scratch the boss said, and you're punished." He steps through the open stairs of the now HYDRA fortress, It's inside smells of machinery and disinfectant; tears spring unwillingly to the corners of the hybrid's eyes.

 _'This is fucking ridiculous. I'm a thousand-year-old being, powerful beyond all imagination, being man handled by a sack of bones and flesh._ '

Why?

Rumlow drops her onto a steel lab table, she shivers. More out of muscle memory than real cold, however the action is one Rumlow seems to find unbearably funny.

"What?" Mina sneers.

"Thought you couldn't get cold." He doesn't wait for a snarky remark instead handing her a sleek black suitcase, its fine leather attractively slid into her hands. He says nothing more, just gestures for her to open it.

She does, sheer temptation guiding the movements.

As she unlocks the case she halts at the slight carving on its side, the golden letters spiral almost translucently on the case. The faint words reading:

_'To my dear Biter, let us not forget loyalty is to be earned not given.'_

The message seemed more of a warning, upon opening the case she wasn't even surprised to see the collar inside. 

Its material differed to the one Fury had given to Inova, it's metallic texture would have more bite and was clearly designed without the wearers comfort in mind.

For a moment she couldn't help the dryness in her throat, the urge to gulp was held back by Rumlow's staring.

Mina knew that Alexander didn't trust her yet, this was his final test of proving whether she was truly loyal to HYDRA. If she didn't put on this item and surrender her freedom, then Bucky would never be relinquished from Hydras clutches, Inova would never forgive her and all prospects of becoming more were thwarted. 

With no emotion she attached the collar around her neck.

When it was done, she gave Rumlow her best grin, mindful of Pierce's reaction later.

"How does it look?"

"Like a dog’s collar, you really are his best pet, aren't you?" The HYDRA fanatic pushed another bag into her hands and ordered her to get changed. Mina did so quickly, using Inova's speed to blur out her body; having the item around her neck was enough exposure.

She stepped out of the blur in a black bodycon, it cascaded down her legs and stopped just above the knee. The shoes where arrogantly high heels clearly chosen by a man who had no regard for the terrain or women's feet.

"Good you're dressed just in time, guest is here." Rumlow walks outside after his vague exclamation leaving Mina to roll her eyes yet still follow him.

They emerge from the castle to see a jet land; its presence means whoever this is they're important. The reason Alexander needed this base was still running through her head, he could've had any remote location elsewhere in Europe but a dead-end place like Sokovia. There was something here he needed.

What? Mina had yet to find out.

Rumlow had his tablet back in his hands tapping away while she comes to stand next to him and the jet's ramp begins to descend. Immediately men are marching off, followed by crates and equipment. It is the man in the middle of it all who's guiding a particularly familiar crate off the jet that catches my attention. 

He's in his rough mid 40's by the look of him, has this retro sort of monocle on his right eye. His face is etched into a commanding sneer.

Then his eyes land on both Mina and the asshole.

"Bring the twins!" He orders to a background agent whilst walking up to them.

To Inova's horror two ordinary appearing people come down the ramp, one a girl the other a boy. 

_"Mina?"_

_"I know, calm down."_ Although the wolf could feel Inova trying to calm down she couldn't help but let the ever-growing doubt slip through in our link.

"Baron Wolfgang Von Strucker." Rumlow greets him flatly.

"Rumlow," The monocle man greets in reply equally as disinterested in Rumlow as the man was in him, he smirks as both twins settled on either side behind him. "Alexander said you were expecting us." Rumlow's nod isn't registered by the man whose attention is all on Mina.

"This must be the woman who he's completely enamoured with." His slimy hand grasps the wolf's gently, unflatteringly he places a kiss to her knuckles. "I can see why." 

Mina fanes flattery as Baron Wolfgang Von Strucker, towers over her in a pathetic attempt to gain superiority. Mina plasters on the fakest smile she could muster, withdrawing Mina's hand from his grip she introduces herself.

"Mina, yes that's me. It's a pleasure to meet you." As his lips purse from the praise her eyes subtly fall onto the twins proudly standing behind him.

Strucker pouts, "I'm sure it's going to be quite the experience," dull blue eyes rake over Mina's dress clad frame. "working together." Inside her stomach flips juxtaposing her outward suggestive grin.

When the scientist journeys further into the compound he doesn't seem to care at all about addressing the twins; no doubt believing Rumlow would take care of it. In fact, the Germans attentions seem to be completely invested in the crate he stalked.

"Pietro and Wanda Maximoff, I presume." Finally, Rumlow speaks up.

"Dis is correct." Mina's take in the young man as he steps forward, his words have a German/Russian tilt to them, his tone mimicked a bravado Mina immediately interprets as naivety. 

They both had no idea what they were getting themselves into. 

Unaware of her thoughts Rumlow continues. "You've both agreed to be test subjects for the experimental technology, correct?" Both twins nod eerily in perfect synchronisation.

"Great, sign here." If both only knew how hard Mina was working within myself to hold Inova back, how every bone in their body yearned to smack the stylus out from their fragile hands; well, they probably wouldn't have signed it.

Oh, if this was a perfect world. "I'll show you both to the main lab where the doctors will start routine analysis of your conditions." Mina could make out the slightly confused expressions they adorned to Rumlow's comment.

"Make sure you're both cut out for the job." The wolf explained.

"And you?" Wanda, well she doesn't exactly say the words with a charm it's more of a full of shit insincerity, which Mina only feel obliged to return.

"What of me?" She retaliates.

"You worked with Stark?"

"No, my lesser alter ego did." Mina ignore Inova's jab of warning in their link. "What's it to you?"

"More than you kno-" Her brother correctly cuts her off.

"What my sister means is, we don't trust you." _Great._

Mina leans in slowly, "The collar around my neck _Sokovian_ ," Their country's name is spat out from her lips like an insult. "Is proof that I earned my trust with HYDRA. I don't care about yours, nor do I need it." After her threat Mina doesn't expect the Russian boy to undermine her.

Yet, " _Down doggy_." Mina steps forward ready to tear him apart.

"Oh no you don't, he's right." Rumlow grabs my wrist and scolds her like a parent. "Why don't you go check out Strucker's new toy, I think you'll like it."

Mina does go, eventually. Not because the dirty agent told her to, she goes on behalf of her sanity. 

_'Note to self: Pietro Maximoff is a little Sokovian bastard.'_

Upon her arrival, the evil Nazi loving German scientist (Jeez that's a mouthful) quite literally takes her breath away when he pushes her by the waist before the metal crate.

"Inside holds the future, do you wish to see it?" _No._ What Mina wanted to say.

"Sure, why not?" Is what she had to say.

He unclips the clasps, inside is not at all what she expected, but it does explain why the crate appeared familiar.

It's Loki's sceptre, gleaming dangerously from the crate’s other contents. A lump works its way into the wolfs throat and it's so stifling she almost chokes on it.

Strucker grins, "Let's get to work, shall we!" His announcement spurs all the bustling agents -sick with the idea that what they did was for the future- into action. 

For several minutes Mina stands completely still, unable to process anything other than a single thought.

God help them all.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Imma double update cause the next chapters my favourite.


	18. That Was Unexpected

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The soldier is panting.
> 
> This woman had patched him up with such a care that the soldier has never felt, even when she insists, she's gotta stitch him up he allows her too. Her touch elicits a feeling beneath his skin he hasn't felt in so long. The asset wasn't supposed to feel, he knew it was embedded in his being not to, but this woman was unlike anyone he'd ever met, she'd seen him and apologized, smirked at him, not been afraid to touch him, even teased him, named him.

The solider was still.

There'd been no orders from his handlers, the weapon had to be silent. Seen and not heard, handler Rumlow had sneered. 

So, the soldier obeyed. 

His mind was dormant as the longevity of standing became taxing. Being at less than sixty percent fully functional was taking its toll on the soldier’s capability. He'd have to eat in a few hours to enable full operation, although his handlers would often go days without feeding him, which would mean he'd have to save his energy for future field work.

Although he was supposed to tune out the general proceedings of things going on around him, the door slamming open announcing another's presence draws his attention.

Mina struts through the facility like she owns the place, high on the attention. The flimsy silk material of her backless dress was an excuse to show of her curvy figure and alluring features. The fabric stopped high on her upper thigh but still left things to the imagination.

Her long hair had been slicked back into a high ponytail, the curls falling down her uncovered back, she was a vision. 

Rumlow's eyes are glued to her, she sits back in the chair and suggestively spreads her legs before crossing one over the other. "See something you like." She thought he better get his eyeful, he'd never have her, it was one of the reasons why he despised her; Mina was sure of it.

When the wolfs gaze lands on Winter, whose standing by simply observing yet not being able to take his eyes off her, well Mina frowns.

She didn't like the way HYDRA had left him uncared for, the way they never made him rest unless he was on ice.

Rumlow has everyone necessary gather around the plans of the mission. 

"This guy calls himself the Dominator-" Mina snorts, ignoring the glare she gets in return, Rumlow continues. "Our job is to gather intel from him belonging to HYDRA that the boss needs. This guys a sicko and likes to spend his time touring the worlds underground BDSM scene. We'll send in the soldier and biter here to get said intel with no complications, now this guy is known to betray those he works with so the boss so you gotta verify the drive. Boss doesn't want any loose ends, so dispose of him discreetly soldat." Mina's brow arches in distaste, another murder mission, fucking great. At least it was a bad guy.

"понял." Winter nods.

The serious tension is stifling, naturally Mina breaks it. "Underground and BDSM all in the same sentence, finally something fun."

"There's something you don't hear every day." Rollins pitches in, Mina smirks at him, Rumlow however seems more sinister.

His eyes roam over Mina. "You'll be a great distraction."

Mina's brow quirks at the man. "How do you mean?"

"You're gonna be his dom." 

That was all he was going to say it seemed, as Rumlow left the room not soon after announcing the time they'd depart to Amsterdam.

The agents charged with readying Winter for all missions got the message immediately when Mina glared coolly at them and bid the man to follow her instead.

Nobody would be touching him but her.

The large array of BDSM gear barely fazed her if anything she was pleasantly amused. Winter definitively wore leather clothing with unnecessary buckles and tightness anyway; so, she wasn't too fussed about him adjusting to it.

Sense deprivation, no. He had enough of that from Hydra.

In fact, none of this stuff seemed suited to the man at all.

It seemed more suited to her.

Mina couldn't understand why the sight of the collar and leash appealed to her eye from the moment she saw it. Maybe it was the emerald green detailing on the gold which matched the colour of her dress. Or it could have been the thought of finally being collared in a way she fully consented to. The image of Winter being allowed to have the one thing he'd been deprived of for all these years, _control_.

With a measured breath she picked out a black suit for Winter, with a black shirt and leather gloves included. Her thoughts were the mask would be good for the element of obscurity they'd need in the club and his overall appearance would work for the occasion.

Winter doesn't show any human reactions once he's clothed, but Mina senses his initial confusion when she passes him the leash end and straps the collar on herself.

"Suits me more, don't you think?" She's not expecting him to answer but she does need him to take the lead. If the missions to be successful, he needs to be used to controlling things. "Whenever you’re ready babe." Mina exudes sex, she knows but there was something about having to follow Winter, who was unfazed by her which felt right. 

*-*

Rumlow wasn't happy with Mina being the sub as he'd had to change their aliases, but the wolf found it hard to care when Winter looked as dashing as he did.

His hair had been slicked back and as they entered the private club the soldier exuded an air of confidence; she knew others envied. Being reduced to no more than eye candy wasn't even bothering her.

She was Winter's eye candy, meant to do nothing more than look pretty and help him carry out his mission.

The _'Dominator'_ was in his own booth somewhere in the VIP section, Winter would meet with him alone, feigning a deep Russian accent whilst Mina mingled.

The wolf was living it up, feeling the tempo of the bass strumming through her body. The electricity excited her senses, pushing her provocative movements with each noise.

Winter in the meanwhile was busy securing the intel, this 'Dominator' was an idiot rambling on about prices and shit, his eyes latched onto Mina in a way Winter did not like nor appreciate at all.

The woman is a force to be reckoned with on the dancefloor, gyrating in the air and moving sensually to the beat whilst envious eyes latched onto her from all directions. 

Winter understood if he was to keep to his identity, he would have to show how much of a dominant he is. Interrupting the targets long winded speech, the asset stabs a knife into the fabric of the seat next to him causing the man to jolt in shock.

His bodyguards make an abrupt movement towards him, but the Dominator holds up a hand to stop their advance. 

Winter's voice is hard. "I'm not here to play games, nor am I here to share what is mine. Give me the drive, I will give you the agreed upon amount and we will do it out of the open. I have a reputation to uphold." The weasel of a man smiles and when he bids Bucky into the back room, he signals Mina and removes the loose ends with discretion.

*-*

It takes Winter 3 minutes to kill the target and his protection detail, Mina counts.

She watches him leave the back room with his mask still in place and not even a hair out of place. With the mission complete he'd undoubtedly want to leave to the rendezvous, but Mina wasn't finished letting loose and signed to the asset she'd be over in a bit.

Four and a half songs later she surveyed the room trying to find her Winter Soldier only to stop in a fit of anger when she'd finally laid eyes on him.

Mina gets a little too protective, a submissive is clearly tryna flirt with Winter. Although the man is paying her very little mind, Mina storms over there without a second thought.

Her growl is a primal reaction to seeing the woman's cheap manicured nails rake down Bucky's blazer. She pushes the sub back on her ass and moves to follow her down and start a full blow bitch fit when a rough tug to her neck yanks her back.

Winter's got the end of her gold leash wrapped in his hand. 

Without nothing more than a warning narrowing of his eyes Mina feels herself slumping in submission, her head bows as she swallows the distance between them and plasters herself close to his side. 

_'He's disappointed, he's disappointed.'_ Is all she can think and instinct screams at her to be obedient.

Of course, the man doesn't know how to respond, for a minute his mind stills.

The intrusive woman's dom clearly didn't like Mina's actions, he's a real sturdy type. Tall and hairy all over, Mina cringes when he raises his voice at her, she tries to make herself appear smaller which in turn encourages Winter's arm to wrap around her waist, holding her closer to him.

What is going on with her? Alpha's never submitted.

Winter's an intimidating figure all on his own, he doesn't even have to raise his voice when he addresses the man. "Walk away." When the man persists, Winter moves with scary efficiency to slam his head into the glass of the bar and unsheathes his hidden knife to press it to the man’s throat.

"She's _mine_ , now walk away." Winter's voice sends a jolt down the wolfs spine, is it bad she wants to roll over and show her belly. Mina's not surprised to watch the two staggers away in fear, nor is she surprised by the security guards finally taking notice of them.

They need to go, now.

"Come on, let's get out of here." Laughing at the state of what is her life, the wolf grasps his hand in hers and leads them the fuck outta there.

*-*

Steve frowns at the monitor as the feed from Amsterdam plays for the third time.

Mina's living it up at some BDSM underground rave scene, grinding against a series of men and women from the footage they'd gathered. It isn't this which captures Steve's undivided attention, it's the ending of the video where _he_ comes in.

The mysterious masked man yanks the chain around Mina's neck and instead of slashing his throat, the wolf almost shuts down. She relaxes into the man’s side and shuts her eyes at the feeling. When he threatens the man and the two run out of the club the footage cuts out.

Steve frowns harder. "What's she doing?" He addresses the people in the room, Nat and Tony. The latter smirks draining the last sips of gin from his glass.

"Uh, having fun." Steve raises a brow, Tony shrugs exasperated. "What? Maybe she was tired of being- you know locked up. It's what I'd do."

The blonde shakes his head. "Fury said Mina was volatile."

Tony rewinds the footage to the scene of Mina dancing with a ecstatic expression and zooms in specifically on her face. "Does that look volatile to you?"

Nat's clearly had enough of passively listening to their conversation, she pitches in with a raised brow, her mouth a thin line. "She left a mess in Russia Tony." Is her reminder to the man who seems to be way beyond the point of thinking reasonably.

"I'm just saying, she looks at ease now. Like too at ease, not just in general but with the BDSM James Bond guy. Mina killed a man for looking at her wrongly and what? Now she's suddenly all chummy with this guy pulling her around! Who the hell is he?"

Natasha finds herself agreeing partially with the eccentric billionaire. "I guess that's what we need to find out. Or rather we would if we could get any leads on her, this was a month ago and Fury's found nothing since."

Steve sighs but gives Natasha a fond look. "Thanks for keeping us in the loop Nat."

The red head shrugs. "Anything for a teammate, Rogers." 

"I still feel like I need to repay you somehow."

Those seem to be magic words, the woman smirks whilst her eyes light up in the smallest telling way. "Well, you by any chance looking for a girlfriend, I know a gal who I think you'll like."

Steve abruptly shuts down his tablet and heads to the elevator of Tony's penthouse. "Is that the time, I better head out."

Nat isn't deterred in the least the woman just speaks louder, relaying all the necessary information. "She's cute Rogers, button nose and all!"

"Goodnight guys." He's bright pink the whole way down to the lobby, his thoughts on nothing but Inova, Mina and ways he could convince Nat to drop the dating thing.

*-*

"Great another reason to shiver," Mina mutters under her breath, the foggy remnants dissipate soon after into the air. "wintertime in Berlin and I'm stuck with none other than the Winter soldier." The statement is followed by one of her dry snorts. The one she usually reserves for assignments just like these ones, assignments Pierce insists on sending them on.

HYDRA's lapdogs (Mina and the Winter soldier) have been squatting atop this roof in Berlin for days, well it's been more like 4 hours, but Mina swears it's been longer. The operation being run was pointless, both knew this fact. Pierce had said he'd wanted the world’s leaders to see HYDRA's power. When Mina mentioned operation S.H.I.E.L.D he claimed not to see its significance yet, claiming what he wanted them to do was _important_ for the cause right now.

So here they are, on top of some monster of a building waiting for a target who's been confirmed to be coming here. Agent Serkis, a former HYDRA agent who believed he could escape the fold.

How wrong he turned out to be. 

Mina sighed heavily for the hundredth time this night, although some would be thoroughly annoyed by now the soldier remained as passive as ever. His grey eyes scanning the scene below him with a remote focus. By now the wolf had gone to lengths to try and get him to respond to her but he seemed reluctant. 

It couldn't hurt to try harder, "Why do they call you that anyway?" she pushed coming to stand below him perched on the wall. What she'd not expected was the retaliated comment of.

"Why do they call you biter?"

She shrugs.

"Alright Winter, fair enough." He doesn't even seem satisfied, his eyebrows furrow in the slightest way which enraptures Mina.

"That is not my name." 

"Yeah well, I'm not calling you by the name they gave to you, since you don't know your actual one mine will have to do. Plus... it has a nice ring to it don't you think?" The newly declared Winter completely opts to ignore her, the scene from below them capturing his attention once again.

Mina inquires the significance of this place anyway and when Winter responds it's with the location.

"We're on the Berlin Cathedral." His comment means absolutely nothing to himself, but Mina finds herself pleasantly surprised.

"That would explain the dome...I'd seen it get erected in the 19th century-well I say I- who I actually mean is Inova I just tagged along," The wolf let her resentment fade. "gone through quite a lot this building." With admiration she tapped its structure, lost in the moment she almost misses the sound deep within Winters' body, the vertebrae straightening up as his back becomes taut.

She snaps to attention. 

There's a crate on the floor, she unclips it and quickly assembles the sniper inside.

Winters already come down from the wall and positioned himself to receive the weapon, Mina hands it over.

"How many shots?" Mina asks.

"Boss said do it in under two. There's a perimeter set around him all guys in suits, you have to lure him out so I can get a shot, handler doesn't want any witnesses." Mina sneaks a peak into the stained windows down into the cathedral, there are civilians praying down there, she'd blend in easily enough.

"Give me 8 minutes, the target should cooperate by then." The soldiers on alert, he places his mask and protective lenses on, setting the sniper so it rests upon his right shoulder afterwards. 

"Understood." At the word Mina knows the operation is a go, she covers herself with the black trench coat provided and ties it securely around her body.

The wolf spares one last look back to Winter balancing on the edge of the building. "I'll secure an escape route to the rendezvous after we're done here." Winter nods and she jumps out of sight from anyone below, travelling over to the entrance after.

Serkis is already inside, his goons scattered around the various pews between civilians and Mina's entrance goes unnoticed, so she slips into a booth at the back. The target is up front by an altar, the priest their greeting him with open arms, as if they were old friends.

Huh.

After their greeting, Serkis walks to stand behind the alter in front of everyone. He spews a speech about the infection which has taken over humans, he spits hatred about the disgusting way man has come to accept different races, he claims sexualities have become distorted. The entire audience is nodding along with him, in full agreement; they aren't civilians at all, they're all a part of it.

This isn't good.

The doors bang shut behind her and Mina doubts she was going to make it out of here without causing a scene.

"Why did you come here?"

"I can take my leave no worry, I appear to have entered the wrong cathedral." Mina stands slowly but guns are already trained on her position, the hybrid rolls her eyes, the whole display was rather pathetic.

Serkis laughs, "Did Pierce really think it'd be that easy? Did he think I would allow his precious Winter Soldier to come in here and ruin everything I've achieved."

"I'm pretty sure it is that easy." Mina says the man isn't happy with her response.

"You, things like you. Your _kind_ , are the reason the worlds impure." Serkis sneers down at her, grating on her last nerve, she wants to lodge a knife into his brain.

Mina sneers back. "Being racist isn't helping your case, pal."

"Maybe this will." Serkis snaps his fingers beckoning some of his goons from behind him, the men walk in dragging something behind them. Mina's jaws click audibly when she tenses it, the men have Bucky. He's obviously been drugged, they must have had more surveillance around the facility then they'd previously thought, the intel must've been from a shitty source. Bucky's got his head down, his mask and goggles taken off his face to reveal fluttering eyes and a numb face.

The target is still yapping on, smacking Bucky around as he's incapacitated, mocking his state asking him to talk. All Mina can hear is the rush of blood in her ears. Her instincts are going haywire, the sight of others touching Bucky in any sense, especially unkindly is triggering her innate savagery. "You're a pretty shit spy, both of you." Serkis taunts and waves a hand at the man closest to Mina, bidding him to bring her toward him.

"Move your pretty cunt, you fucking whore." The wolf finds herself staring down the barrel of the gun he's aimed directly at her face. To the idiots surprise she starts to smile, it's an eerie looking thing, then she purrs at him.

"Oh baby, I’m not a spy." One of the idiots shoots a dart in her neck, trying to drug her and Mina's anger rises. The dosage was weak, it wouldn't even throw her senses off track. All she can see is red, Bucky's coming around, but the men still have guns trained on him, Serkis had struck him. He'd hit Bucky, taunted him, he'd touched what was _hers_.

_Mine._

The input is dizzying, everything heightened to mind numbing levels as Mina simply pulls the dart from her skin and snaps the man’s neck in the next breath.

The other men start shooting, their bullets futile as Mina has dropped in the middle of the pews, allowing the shift to take over all thousand pounds of her wolf barrelling into the men and ripping them to shreds.

Her instinct didn't stop there, she's gone full blown savage. Feeling the need to kill everyone present, all these extremist believers. One word playing on repeat like a broken record in her mind, _mine._

The target had tried to make a run for it, the crazy Russian tried like mad to pry open the doors to the cathedral. Mina had shifted back by then, covered in the blood from head to toe bare to all. 

In all her glory, she grabs Serkis by the ankles and turns to the alter where Bucky sat taking it all in with eyes wide and alert, dragging the man to him.

To her mate.

Bucky's clearly come around, the drugs wearing off in his system, he's stock still when Mina throws Serkis down next to him. She straddles the man’s waist and grips his head in a harsh grip, the pressure increases slowly.

He's screeching in pain, his body wriggling beneath her to somehow knock her off. "Beg him for it." Mina growls, Serkis screeches but the wolf is relentless, her grip tightens on the man’s skull, watching in satisfaction as his eyes bug out horrifically. "Beg him for your life." She punctuates her point by forcing the man’s chin toward the soldier.

 _"Please, please soldat, I'm sorry!"_ The assets head turns toward them, his grey eyes overlooking Mina in a way she swore was familiar. He inhales when her blue eyes snap to his locking him in place, he doesn't understand what she's waiting for, doesn't know why she draws out this man’s death. Winter remembers his face, recognises Serkis standing alongside Pierce and watching scientists poke and prod him.

"He hurt you." Winter stills at Mina's knowing explanation. He'd faltered when being given the mission brief, Mina must've seen it. Now she offers him revenge, offers him a choice of outcome, something he can't remember ever having.

So, he nods. Giving her his permission and Mina cracks Serkis's skull with her bare hands as Bucky exhales shakily.

The solider surveyed the bloody cathedral, it was a good thing they'd knocked out the surveillance beforehand as the scene was far too chaotic to be discreet now. There's blood smeared on the pews, some on the walls, heads torn from bodies with their innards halfway across the ground. 

She had done it, this woman had become a wolf and slaughtered everyone. Winter's eyes fall onto her when she hisses, her bodies got stray bullet holes in places that must've hurt yet she's not looking at herself, she's fretting over him. 

Mina's dragging her bloody hand softly over the meat of his thigh, or more specifically a bullet hole. He hadn't even realised he'd been shot and was bleeding out. "Are you okay, Winter you alright? _Bucky_ can you hear me?"

The soldier comes back online at the sound of police sirens in the distance. "We have to go." He hurries to his feet then buckles slightly as his wound throbs. Mina's ripping the dead man’s shirt sleeves off and using the material to put pressure on his wound and stop blood flow.

Oh great, she's also naked.

The one time she loses her mind during a shift and doesn't concentrate on keeping her clothes intact, and it's now. Mina quickly ends up peeling the priests robes off his cold corpse and putting it on, not reacting to Winter in the slightest when his face is more deadpan than usual. "Let's go." She grabs his hand and rushes them out the back, not taking note of the shiver that ran through his body.

*-*

They'd robbed a motorbike, Mina the equivalent of a lame spooky movie villain and Winter as cool and collected as ever- minus the slowly bleeding out part.

A little while later they'd ditched the bike. Mina assured him they were headed for a low-key location. In another alleyway she'd instructed him to wait momentarily.

"I'll be back in a moment." She had assured speeding off to where he didn't know.

A few minutes later, she returns with a backpack, taking off her mask she started to 'prepare' them. He watches unsure until she throws him a jacket. "There's a band in the pocket of that jacket, tie your hair back and put on these glasses." While he did this, she'd crouched in front of him, the wound in his thigh had bled through his dark trousers.

"You'll trail blood." She thought aloud, and he gazed below as she undid her collar and bound his leg with it to stop the bleeding instead of the piece of shirt. The oddity of the collar around his leg would appear to others as no more as a weird fashion statement; so, Mina was satisfied.

Winter pauses slightly when it comes to his hair, of course Mina clocks his hesitance.

Her next words are softly murmured, "Here let me." their eyes lock as she makes a move to rake her hands through his locks into a man bun and he tenses at first, the instinct of being hurt takes over but Mina’s thorough in her work, as well as kind. When she's done their eyes still haven't left each other’s.

The wolf clears her throat suddenly, wiping the blood off her own face and hands with a wipe she'd somehow procured. She'd put on a jacket of her own and a pair of leggings and boots, apart from this she remained caked in blood, so much so that she had to pull up her hood to hide her long bloody hair. "We should go, there's a hotel not far from here, we can go patch up there."

*-*

The hotel is a two star by the name of COMENIUS, it was remote and undistinguishable so slipping through without too much onlookers was easy. The guy at the reception regarded them with a sad smile.

"S'good to be out of the cold... heard rumours of gun shots. You two alright?" The man's English was perfect which was surprising with the thickness of his German accent.

"Yas, fine. We just need a room for the night." Mina opted for blending in, posing as a German native would help.

"Of course." The man glanced down quickly, a seemingly innocent gesture to anyone non-enhanced but he betrayed his newfound nerves too obviously, Mina had followed his gaze and seen up her arm which was carelessly on the desk.

Her sleeve had ridden up.

Mina saw the moment of panic in his eyes as he tries to pick up the phone. The tired wolf grabbed his wrist before he could complete his action, as his eyes darted up to her blue ones, her fingers touch his pulse and squeeze as the pupil dilates.

"Put the phone down." Although the man knows in his mind, he doesn't want to do this, feels his own fear at the very prospect of doing so, her eyes make him feel high as does her smooth voice that convinces him to obey. He puts the phone down.

"Now give me a room without charge, you don't require payment, do you?" Involuntarily, by her will his head shakes. "I didn't think so." He gives them the room number and key card still induced in a trance.

"Enjoy your stay." The man recites his costumer service drawl and Mina smirks.

"Forget our faces." Then not bothering to wait for a reply she drags both herself and Winter to the room.

Upon entering she takes the time to check the windows are unlocked, Winter's still expressionless when she turns around. 

For once this annoys her.

"Do you even know how to act without orders?" Her jibe gets no reply. "It's like the only time you say stuff is when we're in the middle of all things HYDRA!" He still says nothing, regarding Mina as if she doesn't even exist, which for anyone who knew her was the worst thing to do. "For god sakes I'm not your handler, you're allowed to talk to me!"

Boy, does he do just that. "Who's Bucky?" She freezes like a deer caught in headlights; his trained eyes catch the gulp as she reacts to his words.

"What?"

"Back at the cathedral," His brows furrow once again. "you called me Bucky."

For a while she doesn't respond to his question, nor offer him an answer. Just watches him, like she hasn't even got a clue of what to say, which was weird because she always had something to say. Eventually his leg throbbing cuts off his will to know and the asset inside urges him to follow protocol. For operations gone south there's a list:

-Find a safe location, hidden/unknown to enemies.

-Examine any obtained injuries, repair damage where possible.

-Check in with handlers.

-Wait for the next call with further instructions.

The first step had been complete, on to the second. 

He sets himself on a plush chair, the material makes him sink into it and for a moment he feels...fatigue. Pushing any feelings to the side (protocol had no area for feeling) he makes quick work of his coat Mina'd presumably stolen for him, Mina stared on as he unclipped his top protective vest.

The wolf couldn't bloody believe her carelessness, calling him that.

God she was worse than Hydra.

What was she even doing here, with him? Why the hell did she care so much? He hears the girl sigh from across the room as he removes the collar from his leg.

"I-I'm sorry, here let me." She shuffles over but his glare stops her short.

Mina can't blame him, so she grabs the bag from the bed she'd thrown it onto and makes her way over to Winter. Her nature makes her unaware of their proximity, it's natural for her to be close to anyone so she plunks herself down next to his legs. Opening the bag and shaking out its contents she gives Winter an apologetic look. "Can I help you take off the trousers?" 

Winter gulps, his eyes are latched onto hers with an intense concentration. Mina's appreciated pushing Winter's limits and testing the strength of Hydra's code, doing this with friendly expression and touch. It had occurred to her when doing these things, how little touch the soldier had received all these years.

It was by the little things at first. 

The feel of him inching closer to her on stakeout missions, pulling her out of the way when things hadn't gone according to plan, and tonight it was the shiver that'd licked his spine at the contact of their hands joining after his gloves had been lost somewhere.

Whether he was conscious of it or not, he wants her to touch him, he yearns to be touched, she wasn't about to chicken out now.

Winter nodded down at her request, rising a little to allow her to pull his trousers down all the way and discard them behind her. His flesh instantly broke into goose bumps, the wound in his thigh had dry blood preventing the wound from bleeding anymore, the bullet had lodged itself inside pretty deeply but the asset found himself not caring, not in anticipation of the pain but rather the prospect of having her hands on his skin. 

The asset was programmed to ignore all physical sensations, pain, pleasure everything. Yet, the moment her hands slide over the tender spot on his upper thigh, the second she touched him without fear or worry, regarded him as if he were anything but the asset,

Winter whimpers.

Mina's eyes shoot up to his, her pupils drowned out by a sea of black, ravaging his face for the telling sight of his eyes widening.

He's compromised.

Yes, he must be compromised.

Protocol states he must tell his acting handler Rumlow, tell him he is compromised.

But the asset wants her touch, he's greedy for it and doesn't know why. She's the only one in all of HYDRA who ever touches his skin without a glove barrier, forget being compromised he just wants her to touch him.

The asset ignores protocol.

The wolf is quick to catch on, she's smirking whilst working the bullet out of his wound with a scalpel she produced from somewhere. The first contact despite the burning pain of the bullet scraping away inside his flesh has him muffling a whine into a grunt; Mina had used her other hand to rub soothing circles into his skin on the outside of his thigh.

By the time she'd found and disposed of the bullet, disinfecting his wound with alcohol, suggesting him to take a swig.

The soldier is panting.

This woman had patched him up with such a care that the soldier has never felt, even when she insists, she's gotta stitch him up he allows her too. Her touch elicits a feeling beneath his skin he hasn't felt in so long. The asset wasn't supposed to feel, he knew it was embedded in his being not to, but this woman was unlike anyone he'd ever met, she'd seen him and apologized, smirked at him, not been afraid to touch him, even teased him, _named_ him.

When she's completed the task, she puts a plaster over the skin and presses her warm hand there for a few moments softly, as if she'd considering something, daring herself to comment on his out of breath condition.

When Mina removes her hand, Winter holds back a desperate whine, only to then jolt forward in shock and moan when Mina's tongue swipes across the expanse of his legs.

She's lapping up the blood, oh, oh, oh!

In seconds the wet morsel is gone, leaving behind a cold encompassing feeling the soldier feels throughout his entire body.

"Please." He chokes out the word before he can think and Mina forces herself to stand up, Winter finds his arms reaching out to sustain the contact and Mina closes her eyes when he grabs her waist. The wolf can smell his arousal, its heady scent is scrambling her head.

She knew herself, knew what would happen if he didn't stop her. This wasn't fair on him, he couldn't _understand_ who she was, but she'd already called him her mate. 

Almost claimed him in the middle of fucking nowhere for Edrania's sake.

The brunette's still whimpering below her, he's crashing. Mina raises her finger to her mouth. "I have to call Rumlow, he's probably panicking. I need you to be quiet, can you do that for me?" He nods, wanting to do anything to sustain their touch. Her phone is close by so her warmth is only gone for a second, soon she's back rubbing her hands through his hair. He moans long and sure at the foreign sensation on his scalp, Mina is forced to drag her fingers out of his hair and rest her hand on his shoulder.

"Shh, honey." Mina calls Rumlow.

Winter chooses not to hear his voice, only hers.

"We're safe." Grunting sounds echo from the phone and Mina responds with growls. "Of course not, I'm not an idiot!" Winter peeks up to watch the woman's face, her brows furrow.

Her voice is threatening next time she speaks. "No, we're laying low for the night. We'll meet you at the rendezvous tomorrow morning."

More grunting. "He's fine… no nothing more than a scratch. It's been taken care of, need I remind you of Alex's deep love for him." Her tone leaves no room for argument, Rumlow must get this. "Right, where would HYDRA be without it's pets." She hangs up abruptly on that note and controls the urge to throw the phone across the room. 

Winters still staring up at her, achingly lost features, she sighs. "I'm going to shower... you can join if you'd like." He's hesitant, Mina obviously notices. "What's wrong?" To coax the answer out of him she pets the skin on his neck forcing him to make eye contact in one of the gentlest ways. 

He shakes his head, his eyes squinting shut almost in pain as he admits. "The _cold_." Mina's expression hardens, the ache in her heart hurts her.

"No honey, no. I'll warm the water, make it lava hot if you want." The prospect loosens him up by a stretch, until finally he nods. "Let's go."

*-*

Mina stood beneath the hot water with her head craned back against the spray. The crimson leaking off her into the drain below and she finally enables herself to sigh.

Winter's halted his brave approach seeing Mina's bare skin on display, he's not worthy to be here with her. Maybe a noise slips through his mouth because she turns around dilated eyes on his own and grabs the nape of his neck protectively. She drew him in close to her feeling the jut in his pulse jump, with that secure hold she draws him in, letting him crowd into her space.

He whines when she drags her hands up his arms bringing his hands to rest alluringly around her body. The brunettes face buries into Mina's shoulder his wet hair falling in with hers, her curly ringlets wrapped around his fingers and he held her tighter to him.

There are no sexual connotations in the act, 

Mina couldn't stop staring, his neck was in her eyeline, it's beating pulse vibrated in her ear and her stomach became painfully aware of its emptiness; seeing him this way, it was as if she were a dog and someone was waving a bone right in front of her tauntingly.

Automatically running with these feelings, fangs left their pockets and she stood transfixed on the man’s mouth, she could hear his pulse, his heart, the sound of the food sliding over his tongue.

Did it suddenly get hotter in here?

He'd barely finished processing the feel of her skin against his when he caught her staring. At first, he thought she'd changed her mind and wanted the food back but after analysing the... longing in her gaze he'd remembered something.

 _"He didn't mean that kind of meat."_ Then she'd killed that man, with her teeth. 

She _fed_ from him.

Maybe, the soldier guessed. Mina was hungry, but not in the normal way.

"You need to eat." He stalks toward her, Mina's so stunned at his actions she doesn't quite follow his statement until he's backed her into the wall of the shower directly under the faucet, so the spray only fell behind his back.

"I can't." Her voice is uncharacteristically quiet as she informs him.

Still he persists, "You need to eat." Mina’s throat goes dry, he's close enough to her now that her head cranes back in effort to look up at him. His neck is right before her eyes and if she so dared, it would only take one move to bite into the flesh there.

"What w-would you have me do?" Then without words his head tilts to the left side, Mina dies at the offering. He's baring himself, trusting her enough to allow her this opportunity.

She wastes no more time.

Her left arm curves round his waist and tugs him closer, her right hand pulling the back of his neck toward her so when she bites...finally bites into the flesh, she doesn't have to strain on her tiptoes just manoeuvres him to her liking.

Winter, oh god he's so responsive, allowing her to take his blood like it's second nature to him. Mina doesn't want to stop, doesn't think she can. 

At the first bite, he wanted to push her away, get rid of the invasive pain shooting in his neck and through the viens he feels her latch onto. Then the most curious thing happens, the pain fades into pure indescribable sensation; the more she takes the higher he feels. It's like being doped up with ecstasy, he can't hold back these little grunts deep in his throat; his metal hand sliding up the wall to anchor him to something and denting the tiles in the process. When Mina feels the vibration in her teeth she stops abruptly. Pulling herself away from him and hitting her head against the wall in the process.

Both stare at the other, violet eyes meeting his grey ones. Their harsh breath serenades the room.

"Fuck."

*-*

Sometime in the night Mina convinced the soldier to take a nap to rest or as he put it 'recharge'. It was when she'd confirmed he was asleep by checking his slow pulse that Inova decided to chat once again.

"Are you fucking insane!" Inova's in her original avenger suit and Mina wants to bring it up but the girls off on a tirade. 

"Umm-"

"The answer is yes, you're completely nuts! What the hell was that anyway?"

"I don't know but it was weird, I've never stopped before." Mina looks around in-between the girls yelling response, they're in the helicarrier. Again, she'd bring it up, but the women won't stop talking.

"-let's not forget to mention the lack of utter self-respect I mean do you have any idea how long it's going to take me to erase the taste of his blood from our mind!" The vampire shivers. "What more-" Finally the wolf cuts her off.

"Why are we here?" Inova stops, sheepishly shrugging as Mina's question registers.

"I may be having a midlife crisis."

Mina smirks. "You're eternal. You have no midlife." 

On closer inspection Mina makes out the lack of agents or Fury or of anyone really. Even Steve.

"Oh, shut up!" The British exclamation comes suddenly as Inova changes the scene in their mind to one more familiar. It's Carly's apartment, well before the incident.

Mina splutters, "I didn't even say anything."

"I can hear you thinking idiot, it's obnoxiously loud." Is the vampires reply and as if to punctuate the point she scratches an ear.

Then Mina thinks she understands.

"You miss your life." Inova says nothing to object so she carries on. "You miss Carly and you're worried she's gonna hate you forever, as are Fury and Steve. You're scared because you believe once we're done here, it's gonna be for nothing anyway cause we're always gonna want different things."

"Let us not pretend like the moment Bucky is free you're not gonna leave me in the dust, trapped in here forever." Mina's brow raises at Inova's admission.

"You did do it to me. Don't forget that." Inova shrugs after a few seconds considering Mina statement.

"We can't coexist in the same body anymore, it's becoming exhausting. We need to separate." At this Mina perks up.

"That's impossible, the only one capable of such a thing is your mom and she's not exactly gonna help her exiled child, now is she?" Inova's about to reply when both their senses indicate a thrashing from outside their bond.

"It's Winter." Mina jumps to leave but before she can go Inova grabs her wrist.

"His name is the Winter soldier, try to stay clear on the mission. If Pierce feels your hesitation for even a second- he'll not trust you." Her warning was clear but still angered the wolf.

"Got it." She's thrust into the body and opens her eyes. Buc-Winter is restlessly clawing at the sheets. His metal arm is tearing the fabric and Mina feels sympathy for him. Actual sympathy.

On a hunch she plans to wake him up carefully, it's starts out innocent enough. She starts calling out his code name (Winter soldier) when that fails, she decides to tap him gently on the arm, the real one of course. That ends in him almost whacking her across the face so in the end Mina decides the hands-on approach would best come in handy- or rather the body on approach.

She straddles his hips, grabs the metal prosthetic, and traps his arms by his sides.

"Winter!" His eyes startle open fighting against her hold to throw her off him, he even starts writhing his hips. It doesn't work of course but that doesn't stop Mina from trying to get through to him.

"Eto uzhe seychas soldat, voyna okonchena!" (It's over now soldier, the war is over!) He ceases all movement instantly, collapsing back into the sheets. His breathing is ragged, and his eyes shut tight, when he comes to his senses, he pushes Mina roughly off him, she falls to the floor with an ungraceful oof.

From the way he shoots up in relief, she guessed the confinement was the problem. Being ever so patient, the wolf waits him out, waits till his breathing has regulated.

"Is it time to go?" Her phones on the table by the bed so she gets up from where he pushed her and checks it. 

Six o'clock on the dot it reads, and she tells him so, following up with an excuse of getting ready so neither would have to address the elephant in the room.

What the hell was he even dreaming about?

The question would have to wait as Winter awaited further instruction on the clothes front, Mina sighed exasperatedly. The night before had passed, the Winter Soldier was back.

This was gonna be a heck of a day.

*-* 

Now, with both their hair tied back, combat pants hidden under baggy coats they'd stolen and glasses covering both pairs of eyes let's just say Mina and Winter looked like a couple of hipsters. 

It fit in with the tourist act perfectly but still, _hipsters!_

Rumlow and Mina had established the meeting location was to be at 7:30, at this closed in tourism hotspot. Mutual ground he'd called it. Mina knew it was just to avoid her making a scene, little bastard.

Here they were walking towards the grump who's invested himself once again in that fucking tablet. Rumlow glances up and upon seeing the pair his face sours. 

There's this sort of questioning glance in his eyes, one Mina refuses to answer.

He'll get nothing from her, and he seems to realise this too; if the eye roll is any indication. 

"See, brought him back in one piece." The wolf teases once they're close enough. "You can take your panties outta that twist now." Rumlow completely disregards the comment scanning the solider instead.

"Mission report." Welp, _'so much for friendly jokes'_ Mina thinks as Rumlow gives the order.

"The target has been eliminated." The STRIKE agent nods in confirmation, afterward monitoring the crowd.

Inova pushes Mina to be more serious so that's what she chooses to do, "So, what demeaning job is Alexander gonna make us do next?"

His head shakes, "No more jobs, that's it. He's going after the big play." Mina's eyebrow arches as he pauses for dramatic effect. "S.H.I.E.L.D's going down." She manages to hold back her immediate panic, or better yet Inova's. 

"It's about bloody time." Inside Mina is screaming this is it, the moment Alex's plans will come to light, and she can figure out how to part from Hydra and take Bucky with her. "When do we start?"

"The moment we're back home, come on the jets waiting in the hanger to take us back to America. The boss wants you to look your best Mina, he's got a gift for you." She fanes pleasant surprise, if she wanted to be in Pierce's good books, she would also have to appease Rumlow.  
  



	19. Ready To Comply

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The woman's going to argue but Mina raises a finger to her lips abruptly stopping them from opening. "All I can tell you is this, I'm not going to stop him, I'm going to break him. I'm want him to see his plan turn to ash before his very eyes, and when he knows he has failed, seen it all crumble. I'll rip him to shreds happily, knowing the last thing he saw was my face." The brunette clears her throat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love this chappie, enjoy xx

Mina had gone all out for Alexander, wearing a tight dress and everything, it's sky blue so it really makes her eyes pop. Her long hair is curled, flowing down her back freely, her appearance pristine. 

Just how Pierce likes it.

Rumlow cracks a grin at her from his seat on the private jet, Mina's patience wears thin.

"What?" Her voice demands and Rumlow's cocky response annoys her.

"I know a few men who would kill for a woman like you." The smile she etches onto her face is playful.

"Sorry Rumlow, you're not really my type."

He mutters under his breath, "Right, your type is way over my age." Normally Mina would have a quick and snappy remark, ready to throw back at him, instead she lets the comment go, her rage bubbling beneath the surface.

*-*

They hadn't seen Alexander for months, he often just used Rumlow to communicate to both Winter and Mina, to keep up his shadow persona.

The rare times they had seen him was devoted entirely to sessions with Winter. He wanted him ready, was his reasoning all those times the tests on the soldier stretched over a few days.

Stepping off the jet, the wolf eyes narrow in on Alex as he waits at the bottom of the steps, suited and grinning.

With a kiss to his cheek, Mina feigns as smile as she's greeted by the man in his usual way.

"My dear, you are a sight to behold as always."

"You flatter me, as always." His hand moves from his side to plaster on the small of her back to guide her and Mina holds back her grimace.

"You were made to be flattered." The sick purr makes her 'blush' in response.

Then she takes in the American air, the ground beneath her pumps liberating the sins she'd committed in other countries.

He had an escort, two black jeeps on either ends of his own. Mina was led to the middle one and he opened the door for her. He must have really loved the dress cause his hand slipped unnecessarily onto her ass.

In the car Pierce revealed the plan to her, he says that whilst both Mina and Winter had done jobs around the globe. Rumlow had been involved with none other than Steven Grant Rogers in a special mission union by the name of STRIKE. Mina's brow raised in slight surprise, Rumlow had never disclosed any of that information to her, then again it wasn't really his place.

They drove in silence to wherever Pierce had set up base, along the way she noticed his constant regard of the collar. His eyes gleamed at the thing which she had to admit made her a tad anxious.

It was when he'd noticed her staring at him that he spoke up on his actions.

"Sorry to stare my dear, it's just such a remarkable fit. Seeing it gets me every time."

 _"Gross."_ Came Inova's judgement from within their bond.

He carried on, "Plus, you've been such a good girl that I've got a little gift for you my dear." a grin lined his lips as the car was once again plunged into silence as they headed to New York.

*-*

Shit had reached a whole new level of crazy.

First, she'd had to kill for HYDRA and now she was face to face with the man who'd haunted her nightmares, the man who forced her to dream of an escape day in and day out.

Mina thought it was over, yet here he sat his face aged sure, but it was still him.

Francis Chevalier, the French bastard who'd experimented on her back in the 80's.

There's this deep emanating growl echoing off the walls and it's not until the red from behind her eyes clears that she realises the sound is coming from her very own being. Muscles ache with the urge to bite, rip, tear.

Alex is in the room watching the entire proceeding, that smirk permanently on his face. Mina doesn't do a thing, not until she gets his approval.

He doesn't give it. Mina turns his snarl on him, but the man simply laughs it off. "I said this is your gift my dear, I didn't say when you'll get it."

"What is that supposed to mean!" The wolf steps towards him in a threatening manner.

He holds a device up in his hand and Mina's brow furrows in confusion. It seems to be a remote which controls something but what Mina didn't know yet.

"I see you and the soldier have had quite the time together, if those bites on his neck were any indication." Pierce chuckles at Mina's expression, whatever emotion that passed by on her features amused him. "I'm his handler, knowing everything the asset is up to is my job and do you know what I think, I think you've become attached, like I knew you would." He goes on to explain the device connect to the assets arm, if he clicked the button the entire thing would fry Winters circuits, which also happened to be connected to his nerves. He'd die in agony without an override.

Mina tries to deny any feelings she may have for him, "I have a thing for brunettes who can't think for themselves what can I say," her effort is for nought, Pierce chuckles darkly at it.

To think Mina thought Pierce understood her at a time.

"You may think you've proved yourself to HYDRA, but I don't quite believe you just yet, let's call this little device insurance eh."

The wolf must play along, the game isn't over. "What will you have me do to prove my loyalty?" Mina forces her expression to seem pleading, those eyes widening in the motion of begging.

"I have a meeting with the council tomorrow morning, after I have scheduled a meeting with an old friend of ours."

"Nick? What does this have to do with him?" Mina's inquiry hangs about for a few moments.

Pierce unbuttons his blazer with a thoughtful look. "It has everything to do with him, he’s onto us. You want to prove your loyalty to me; I'm going to kill Nicholas Fury. Do you think you'd be able to handle that?"

The boy Inova was so fond of came to mind, surely Mina couldn't agree to this. But she was in too deep as was Winter for this to be the right time for backing out. Instead of over reacting Mina gave him an uncaring shrug, "You kill Fury you're just doing me a favour. I want both him and Inova dead."

The boss approaches Mina fondly, the same cracked smirk on his lips as he attempts to rejoice with her.

"Enjoy your gift biter, we've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow." With those words he left the wolf there, to bear the scent of that murderer. Right this moment as the pulse of the murderer thrummed in her ears like a symphony of beating drums, Mina would have sought Inova's strength to exact revenge slowly but after all she'd done, it was far too late for that. 

"Fuck this," Mina marches to the man who's cackling escalates into full blown laughter as she approaches him with a fury in her eyes which Nick himself would envy. The woman grabs the asshole by his neck and applies just the right amount of pressure. "I haven't said my piece."

His manic stare locks onto her, "Is this it, has the beast finally taken over?" She growls into his ear, the vibration entices this freak into ecstasy and his glee swarms Mina's senses and pisses the hell out of her, she needed him to fear her.

"The beast is the least of your problems right now little man, do you have any clue of what is in store for you." On this announcement she curled her thumb, so it squeezed the base of his throat enough to briefly cut off his breathing. "You took from me my pride and my dignity. Stripped me, cut me, skinned me. All the horrors I feared whilst in your lab haunt my very being. but now you're here and you're mine." 

He chokes right back into her ear a reply.

"Not yours, not yet."

"You may think you're safe because you're not dead. But the air you breath now is simply just my mercy. He's given me permission Chevalier. You're no longer needed." Finally, the fear is released off his body like a prayer in the wind, it's stench clouds Mina's senses and for a second all the orders Alex elicited seemed worth it.

It was Mina's turn to smile as she got off the man and flashed him a grin with Inova's vamp teeth. 

As he starts to shiver, Mina lets the change take over in front of him. 

When the wolf is revealed she waste's no further time, simply rips her teeth into his body slowly ripping him apart.

When there's nothing left of the man he was except bones and stray body parts she changes back and admires her work. 

That was one problem solved, now she needed a plan to combat the Alexander problem.

First things first though.

*-* 

"I'll get it mom!" Carly regretted the decision as soon as she made it Mina could tell, the soft smile that had been on her lips left abruptly at first sight of the hybrid when she opened the door. "Hell no!" The tiny wolf tries to slam the door shut but the strength of a hybrid is simply too strong and Mina fights back to not be ignored.

"Carly come on-" Said girl huffs at the strain of effort she's using to close the door. "Carly I can explain!" Mina's attempt at civil behaviour is answered with a scoff.

"Explain! Explain what you're doing trying to get into a place you're clearly not welcome in!" Mina pushes back as gently as she cannot wanting to hurt this girl Inova cared so deeply for, but the fact of the matter is that this display of anger was getting quite tedious. 

"If you let me in, I'll be more than happy enough to justify my actions, but if you keep making this scene, I'm pretty sure neither of us will walk away from this satisfied!"

"Y-you sure- have some nerve! AHH!" Her strength eventually gives way and Mina watches sheepishly as the girl falls over onto the flooring of her new apartment. This one shabbier than the last.

Her mother, hearing the commotion comes into the passage only to see the wolf hovering over her floored daughter, the result is a wolfish sneer and then angry eyes as she recognises Mina for who she really is.

"You've got some nerve!" The mother exclaims as Mina's trying to get Carly off the floor.

"It's funny your daughter said the exact same thing." The attempt at humour wasn't appreciated. If anything, it further increases the hatred towards her both wolves were experiencing, especially as both are now glaring at her like there's no tomorrow, in an abnormal show of nerves Mina gulps.

Her hands raise up in surrender, "Look, I know how it seems. But I _can_ explain, if you only give me a chance, one chance. I'll tell you everything and if you can't forgive me or whatever I'll be outta your hair in an instant." As both consider this Mina notices a flustered Carly give her an odd look.

"Why're you speaking like that? Last time we met you were British, not American!" Mina sighs.

"Again, I can explain." After further scrutiny Samantha finally relents.

"You got 5 minutes."

*-*

Five minutes later Mina's sitting in the world’s most uncomfortable chair whilst the great annoyance of both Carly and her mother give her matching confused glares.

"So wait, you ditched me after a you’re crazy vampire ex tried to kill me- because your evil American inner wolf who was trapped inside your head by your mother took over your body and went on a rampage, joined an organisation you're not at liberty to name, killed dozens of people for a man you dislike, met an old friend, found out she feels an obligation for this dude, suddenly turned good and is now here to make things right between us?" A brow is raised at everything Carly had managed to get from the hybrid’s explanation.

"You forgot the part about basically being forced to for that _'dudes'_ safety, but ultimately...yeah." Both Cooper's stared at her dumb stricken.

"Well hell, I don't know whether to hug you or slap you in the face." Carly eventually breaths and Mina's response is to awkwardly nod. 

"How about the latter." Carly scowls.

"Don't be a bitch, I haven't seen you in months and suddenly you show up here, what's the catch Inova? Oh, and why won’t your evil sister give you back your body?" The hybrid's eyes narrow in annoyance.

"For the last time not evil anymore and secondly I'm still Mina I'm just letting Inova shadow this conversation, so your info comes straight from the source uncorrupted I guess." The rebel looks only half convinced so Inova tells Mina something only she'd know.

"I AM NOT SAYING THAT." Mina first refuses but Inova gives her a brain slap and boy if those mothers don't sting, Mina gives up and mutters this secret under her breath.

"If she wasn't here how would I know that the only reason you buy wigs is because you secretly str-" The tiny wolf practically jumps into her lap to stop the torture, slapping her hands over Mina's mouth.

"Ok, ok, ok! I believe you, your totally right she's in there! Just. Stop. Talking." Mina does as she says and sits back in the overbearing chair.

"The catch is, well there's no easy way to put this. Inova thinks it'll be best for both you guys and your father to get out of DC for a few weeks, get out of school, holiday that sort of thing just as long as it's away from Washington and you guys are safe."

"What! We can't just drop everything and move!"

"Not moving, vacationing." She tries to reason with Carly's mother who had now gone pale in the face. "Something bad is going to happen in this state and we're just warning you. You don't have to listen but if you know what's good for you, you will." Carly shakes her head at Mina's information.

"We have nowhere to run to, or are you forgetting that a fucking crazy man tried to kill me!" The flash of anger in the rebel’s eyes makes her rise to comfort her on Inova's behalf.

"Of course I haven't forgotten, we're sorry but you have a place to go, in New York, Inova has a spare apartment it's upgraded with extra security , we can give you the codes and keys you just need to make sure you're there by tomorrow morning, we can't keep you safe in DC but if you're in New York we won’t have to." Mina grabs the girl’s hands and gives her the best puppy dog eyes she can muster. "Please Carly, this is life or death." The rainbow haired girl looks to her mom for guidance.

The elder sighs. "If she says we're in trouble I believe her, I just want us to be safe too." Mina could have kissed the woman. 

"Great! So, you'll pack tonight and call Darren, right?" She speeds off to start finding their suitcases. "You'll tell him to come home from work and leave with you guys, then I'll give you an escort across the state lines and arrange your transport but you guys gotta be ready to leave in an hour, so let's start packing." Both don't react. "Now!" They're suddenly all action and Mina smiles slightly at the fact that this shit worked.

With stage one of the plan complete, she now had to initiate the rest of it.

*-*

She'd helped Carly, her mother and father cross the lines without any trouble or interception, the goodbye's they shared were brief at the welcoming sign to New York and before she knew it she was running back to base with the family's car driving far away in the opposite direction.

At base Rumlow had his men all gathered round some game plan for tomorrow. The plan to kill Fury was underway and Mina couldn't resist peering over his shoulder.

"You hired police cars?"

"Go away, you haven't got a role in this!" His gruff voice rumbles as he shoves her backwards with his butt, Mina scoffs making her way back to the door from which she'd entered.

"Right," Echoes her drawl as she leans on the corner of the metal door. "Get HYDRA agents to disguise themselves as police officers, to attack a heavily armed car being driven by none other than Fury himself. When your plan goes sideways -and it will- just remember that you told me to go away." Her devilish smirk is the opposite of his frown, but she struts off down the hall so he cannot retaliate.

The wolf had gotten an eyeful of whatever plan he formulated which helped her own plans because it in fact was not good. Rumlow had practically strategized a bloodbath, and all for one man. There was no way Mina could save Fury if his body was riddled in bullet holes, his 'death' had to be orchestrated in an efficient way, with as little damage to his body as possible.

How she was going to make that happen was indeed the problem.

Mina passed the shooting range on her way back to her room. Ignoring the person shooting the targets but when her eyes fell upon the greasy hair and bulking body her interests were peaked.

Winter was target practising, the efficient room had a bunch of moving and stationary targets littered around for him to practise on. Watching him bounce around and leap across structures to take down his targets gave Mina a brilliant lightbulb idea.

Mikael- a HYDRA agent- passed by conveniently as the thoughts came to her, she grabbed his jacket lapel and cornered him against the cement wall inside the shooting room. He struggled at first, but Mina calmed him by engaging him in a trance, blue overtook his pupil and she husked at him. "On a scale of one to ten how accurately does the Soldier shoot?"

"A solid ten miss, he never misses a target." Mina hums at the response.

"So, theoretically he'd only have to shoot them once?"

Mikael corrects her. "No more than twice is a guarantee."

This is the news Mina wanted to hear, she smiles wide down at the man. "Perfect, forget we had this conversation." The man nodded then shook his head from the trance in confusion, Mina had backed away back to leaning against a punching bag leaving him dazed. 

Mikael waddled away back to where he came from and after making sure he'd left Mina had the sudden urge she was being watched. 

Her instinct was right, Winter had paused shooting to stare at her. He of course had seen and probably heard it all, Mina raked her eyes over him just to see him twitch.

Gaging his reaction and inability to move she knew he wouldn't tell anyone what he had seen, she puts a finger to her lips and smiles. "Shh, our little secret hunni." Before Winter can say anything or give her a look she leaves, heading to the tech room.

Her plan was simple. The woman would get Pierce to involve Winter, she'd undermine Rumlow's plan and make it seem like she desperately needed Nick dead and knew the agent would muck it up. She knew if Winter killed Fury instead the wounds would be much cleaner, he'd shoot him only twice so as not to overkill, the director would be much easier to heal in that state.

Mina picked up a spare tablet and put a call in for Pierce, it took a few seconds but finally she had been patched through.

"My dear, what pressing matter have you called so late to discuss?" He had on a voice which suggested there were others around him and when Mina caught his muttered _'it’s an associate'_ she followed suit.

"Oh Piercy, I've only called to discuss whether or not the asset was off limits for the play tomorrow."

He chuckles fondly but she hears the warning in his voice at the questioned _'why?'_

"Although Rumlow thinks his plan is solid I see its faults, his plan is bound to cause unnecessary commotion that could be traced back to you. Let me bring in the soldier, he will guarantee you Fury's death which is what we need right now. I'll only involve him if things go sideways with Rumlow's plan, I promise."

The line is silent, until finally Pierce speaks up. "Done, do what you will dear."

"Thank you, darling." Her skin literally crawls by the time she ends the call and she throw the tablet away from her person. Mina childishly acts out choking on her own tongue before turning around and heading to the intelligence rooms. These agents had the job of monitoring those in S.H.I.E.L.D who were not under HYDRA'S influence. This list of people just so happened to include Steve.

The agent in charge of monitoring Steve also happened to be working secretly under Mina's control to give her intel. There's someone new in Steve's life, agent Moore tells her when she discreetly leans over to watch his screen.

"Show me." Mina growls lowly, so as not to attract unwanted attention from the other geeks. Moore types away at his board until a bunch of picture files spring up on screen. There's proof of Steve spending time around a VA building, outside the space Steve's parked his bike and leans against it talking to a darker skinned man. 

The man- who Mina most certainly has never seen, nor has Inova- laughs at something Steve said.

Her interest and suspicion kick in at the same time, 

"Is there any way of finding out who this man is?"

"Already done miss." Moore pulls up the man’s file, turns out he too was in the army, in some undercover covert operation with pararescue soldiers. Inova's suspicion rose from within their bond now too. 

"Could HYDRA find out if this man intended bad will onto the Captain?"

"Umm, no. Our only purpose is to monitor the suspect to make sure they're not onto us, any other threat toward them isn't relevant to our operation."

"So, your fucking useless, got it." Moore doesn't even blink at her insult. "Can you at least tell me where this is?" He prints the address out onto a small paper for Mina and when she inquiries about his progress with Pierce's operation S.H.I.E.L.D Moore grimaces. "There's a lot more firewalls then I'm capable of hacking to get into his system, I've covered my tracks carefully and tried to bypass all his security but without a password it's relatively useless." That's not good, Mina needs to find out what Pierce's endgame is, she sighs already leaning back up from where she's hunched over.

Her eyes narrow in lazy threat. "I'll get you your password, until then keep me posted with anything Steve or Sam related, you hear?" Moore nods his head vigorously and Mina almost forgets. "Oh and, forget we had this conversation." Getting information from Pierce's HYDRA operatives was incredibly easy, barely an inconvenience for Mina.

With part two of the plan in motion it was time to pay Sam Wilson a visit.

*-* 

Veterans had this look to them. There’s this mutual abandonment in dressing up. Soldiers didn't care about the things they wore, they had other things to worry about. 

Mina knew to avoid this stereotype, she wanted Sam to remember her, to notice her. Mina had a way with men, knew how to discover their weaknesses with ease, dressing in a way to attract them was always the first step.

Sam would be drawn to effortless beauty, with that in mind she dresses up in a baggy grey knit jumper which had been tucked into a form fitting pair of black jeans, her suede high heel boots pulling her apart from the crowd. The disguise only complete by a blonde wig and green contact lenses. 

Mina stalled outside the building; she'd followed Steve there wanting to catch some of his conversations with her suspect for some clue into Sam's intentions.

Inova was put at ease even more after confirming in person Steve had yet to be hurt by HYDRA.

Sam greets the man with a smile in his voice. "Look who it is, the running man."

Steve's voice is notably affected. "Caught the last few minutes, seemed pretty intense."

"Yeah brother, we all got the same problems. Guilt, regret." The way Sam says it highlights significantly to some own personal trauma. 

The Captain catches on to this. "You lose someone?" There's a tenderness to Steve's tone, he knows what the fragility of this line of questioning and doesn't want to push.

"My wingman, Riley. Flying a night mission, standard PJ rescue op, nothing we hadn't done a thousand times before, 'til an RPG knocked Riley's dumbass outta the sky. Nothing I could do, it's like I was up there just to watch."

"Sorry." Steve’s voice is full of such understanding despite him only saying the one word. Sam must feel it too as the man shrugs in acknowledgment.

"After that, I had a really hard time finding a reason to be over there you know."

Steve nods, like he understands. Mina wonders if Bucky flickers across his mind like he does hers. "But your happy now, back in the world?"

"Hey, the number of people giving me orders is down to about zero. So, hell yeah. You thinkin’ about getting out?"

"No... I don't know. To be honest I don't know what I would do with myself if I did." Sam funnily suggest _'Ultimate fighting'_ and Steve has a good chuckle over it.

"What makes you happy?" Mina listens to Steve's heartbeat at the question, it accelerates the tiniest bit and Mina knows he's thinking of someone, his prolonged pause means he's about to lie to Sam.

"I don't know." He huffs and Mina rolls her eyes.

_'I bet I know'_

Inova jabs their bond, making her flinch but her small smirk stays on her face. Until after Steve and Sam say their goodbyes and she blended into the background whilst the blonde drives away. Only then does she enter the place, subtly surveying her surroundings as if she an intruder. It was important to come across as unsure, she needed to be fragile if she wanted to be approached by Sam instead of seeking him out.

For a second, she took in the pictures on the walls, various old timey photographs from years before. The wolf never had understood why humans held such sentiment over photographs, it had always been a habit Inova preferred rather than her.

"You like them?" A familiar voice stated behind her, and Mina held back a triumphant grin.

_Got him._

"No, I've often found photographs to be quite deceiving." She keeps her tone soft, turning around with a small smile to greet Mr Wilson. His brown eyes convey kindness, Mina takes note.

"I've seen you hanging about a few times." Mina feigns bashfulness but Sam is kind as he carries on. "Never seen you actually come inside though, what changed if you don't mind me asking."

The wolf shrugs. "I told myself I'd come in when I was ready."

"And are you? Ready."

Mina raises a brow. "I'm talking to you, aren't I?" Sam notices the easy avoidance of his question, but let's it slide, nonetheless. He chooses instead to introduce himself to her and notes when she doesn't give him her name in return.

"Well, you need an ear to listen? I've got two so..." The offer catches Mina off guard, so much so she chuckles. He's good at maintaining the façade if he's a spy, too good for it not to be genuine.

To further test him she needs to talk more. "I know it may not look like it, but I fought in my fair share of wars Sam. At this point I can't see myself doing anything else."

Sam's smile turns unbearably soft and understanding, as he's overcome with slight Deja vu. "You know you’re the second person whose said that to me today." Although Mina knows all too well the truth of this, she acts as if she doesn't.

"Oh yeah, who was the first?"

"Confidential sorry." Mina smiles it off, then thought what the hell, she may as well get some real advice whilst she was at it.

"I recently reunited with someone I thought I'd never see again." Sam nods, listening intently to her words. "They're a vet too and uh, they're not in a good situation and I want to help them, but to do that I'm gonna have to do some bad things." The man’s brow raises in worry, his frown taking over his features.

"How bad we talkin’?"

Mina opens her mouth, only to then close it again unsure of how to answer. "..." Sam adjusts his stance, folding his muscled arms over one another in front of his chest, he's possibly considering his next move.

"This someone, they worth it?"

Bucky's eyes sad and lost, Pierce controlling him, HYDRA lying to him is all Mina sees in her mind’s eye. She's confident in her answer. "He is."

"Worth going into another war for?" Now, Mina can't help but smile.

"My whole life's been a war Sam, it's not stopping anytime soon." The phone in Mina's pocket pings with an alert, the text is from Moore.

**Rumlow's plan is underway. Fury's vulnerable.**

An anxious anticipation takes over Mina, whose unease becomes apparent in the way her smile completely leaves her face. Sam's trying to be gentle as he asks her if everything's alright. "Thanks for the ears."

"Do I get your name?" He calls after her, but Mina tilts her head over her shoulder, smiling to end the conversation.

*-*

"Get me off the grid!" Mina picked up the sound of Fury's voice from the jeep as it zoomed down the road, she'd knew he would take. 

As she predicted, Rumlow's plan had gone to shit, the amateurs were all idiots who couldn't even kill one man. Mina sat in a discreet BMW round a corner waiting for the recognizable S.H.I.E.L.D jeep to show up on her radar when she felt the familiar tremor of the engine her attentions switched to the soldier beside her.

"Winter, you know what to do." He nodded and grabbed the gun from the back seat, all Mina did was wait until she heard the crash of Fury's jeep tumbling over, heard his troubled breaths and heard Winter rip off the door with his metal arm.

"He's escaped." Came the Soldiers voice moments later from over the intercom. Mina hummed thoughtfully and started the engine.

"Don't worry, I have a feeling I know where he's headed." He got in as she drove round to pick him up, it seemed the next stop would be to an old friend’s house.

*-*

Fury had snuck to Steve's apartment like Mina suspected he would, once again she waited in the car and let Winter do his thing. The plan in motion was simple they just had to wait until after Steve got home. 

Thankfully Winter didn't question as to why this was.

As soon as she heard the rumble from a familiar Harley Davidson Mina straightened in the car seat. Notifying Winter through their communications.

"Progress onto mission target in 5 minutes." She said and when he responded with the Russian word for 'understood' she sat apprehensively for the signal.

Gun shots rang and Mina caught the sound of Fury's pained gasps. Winter ran like planned but what wasn't planned was Steve pursuing. 

"The man is following." Mina exited the car and walked to the drop sight.

"Follow the plan and jump off the building above the middle section. Do not engage!" As she hurried on a little further in her black suit she waited until a clang of metal caught her ear, it was followed by the whirl of Winter's arm before she caught sight of him jumping. As planned, she caught him mid-air and flashed them over a couple buildings into an alleyway, it was reflex that drove her hand to cover his mouth despite of his mask. 

When she realised her mistake, she drew it away.

"Mission report." He answers her mechanically.

"The target was shot three times, each hit fatal." The wolf cringes, that was one shot more than she'd been prepared for, Inova already mourns thinking the worst but Mina must steel herself for them both. 

"Good job soldier, now let's get out of here, shall we?" Mina drops Winter back at base, naturally he rode in the trunk to avoid CCTV recording his face when they arrived a team was already waiting to gather intel from Winter, so they barely noticed when Mina drove off to her next destination.

She was nested atop the hospital roof after parking a few blocks away from the place, S.H.I.E.L.D swarmed the area as she arrived, but with her gifts it was easy to speed up to the top without being detected.

Cleverly the wolf had tranced Agent Moore and got him to make her a one-way intercom, its receiver was Rumlow. As an 'agent of S.H.I.E.L.D' he'd been offered a front row seat into Fury's medical procedure, with the unit in her ear she was able to hear him without the process working both ways.

Mina waited for about an hour before his bold tremor rumbled discreetly through the line. "Fury's dead." The comment was simple, detached from emotion and Mina shook her head, thankful he seemed to believe it.

From her bird’s eye view she waited for the man to leave the hospital before gathering up her stuff. Mina could feel Inova's emotion on the matter but didn't address it just yet, instead offering her comforting waves of support and a quick promise that soon it'll all be over.

The wolf peers over the edge of the roof, as Romanoff's car speeds off soon followed by the STRIKE vans. Steve had gotten into the one with Rumlow, now was the time.

Mina opens the roof door by breaking the handle, she's as incognito as she can be now, dressed in a pair of scrubs she borrowed from the doctor’s break room. 

Her nose tracked down the scent of Maria Hill, which led her down a path to a discreet area behind the morgue. 

Upon opening the door, she spots the body of one Nicholas J Fury, a doctor above him sports a shocked gasp at Mina's sudden appearance. It's Hill whose smart enough to pull out a gun, holding it up to Mina's head.

"At least one of you has sense." The wolf deadpans, her posture knowingly relaxed even as Maria still has the gun aimed at her face.

"Mina, what the fuck are you doing here!"

"Trying to save his life." The wolf asks what exactly they'd done to him and the doctor only relays the information to her only when Hill approves.

"He's alive, we injected him with a serum it slows the pulse down to one beat a minute, he's deteriorating fast." Mina finds a stray iv bag and rips the tube from it, Maria asks what she's doing but the wolf's in the zone. One end of the tube she stabs into her vein, when it's positioned, she puts the other end in her mouth and inhales to get her blood flowing. 

Hill watches with a small grimace as the purple blood appears in the translucent tube, Mina ignores her in favour of pushing the other end into the Iv cannula taped to Nicks arm.

When it's complete she stares unflinchingly down at the man Inova cared about so much, the man who betrayed them. He looked much more peaceful half dead; Mina had to say. No furrow to his brow, no permanent frown, just the bliss welcome of sleep.

Must be nice.

"What will that do to him exactly?"

Mina answers Hill without taking her eyes off Fury. "Help his wounds stitch themselves back together, I'm giving him enough to make the trip back to wherever you’re taking him. Think of my blood like a healing agent, it'll help his red blood cells work quicker, but it's gonna take some time." The doctor thanks Mina with a nod and rushes Nick's body to where he was headed before once she detaches her arm from the directors. Maria stays behind for a second to speak with her.

"You knew this would happen." The agent concludes and Mina nods.

"Why do you think he's still alive, trust me I'm handling it." Still the woman is doubtful.

"Why can't Inova _'handle_ ' it?" 

Mina scowls. "We're both handling it, there is that better?"

"Tell me right now, who’s behind this." Hill’s growing more and more agitated the longer they speak and Mina’s already looking for an exit to leave the conversation.

"I can't do that Maria, I'm sorry." The woman's going to argue but Mina raises a finger to her lips abruptly stopping them from opening. "All I can tell you is this, I'm not going to stop him, I'm going to _break_ him. I'm want him to see his plan turn to ash before his very eyes, and when he knows he has failed, seen it all crumble. I'll rip him to shreds happily, knowing the last thing he saw was my face." The brunette clears her throat.

Maria- for all her stoic nature- quirks a brow at the ruthlessness of it all. Finally, she asks, "Does Cap and Widow know your hanging about?" The wolf doesn't take her pissed off tone to heart, she knows just where her and Hill stand.

"It's better for both Steve and Nat not to know I have a connection to everything going on. Just know Hill that me and Inova are on good terms, and we're not just letting shit happen if you know what I mean. There's a plan." With nothing but a parting smile Mina turns to leave the room, Hill doesn't look back but does call out.

"Are you gonna share the details of said plan, or am I supposed to trust your word?"

The wolf yells over her shoulder. "What would Nick Fury do?" 

*-*

Back at base, everyone's been in and out of the training rooms. Mina had been in her room unable to think of anything else but her action plan. Getting Bucky out of HYDRA had proved to be less than the walk in the park she'd expected. She hadn't wanted to ask for help from anyone outside of herself, nor had Inova wanted Steve to know about any of this; so, she'd been going through the plan alone, in her head.

Except she couldn't concentrate on fucking anything. 

There was a huge commotion going on down in the training room, whatever it was had clearly gathered a crowd. All of whom were being fucking rowdy, shouts of cheer swam inside Mina's head scrambling her thoughts and rendering her basically useless.

With a low growl the wolf unburied herself from the piles of blankets and marched down the hall in her oversized t-shirt and cosy socks.

Mina was about to emerge abruptly into the room, through the open door but the deep tone of Brock cut her short. "What's the matter asset, fight back why don't ya!" Her eyebrow raised pointedly as some agents laughed mockingly at whatever was going on. 

They must be entertained completely by the display because nobody notices the wolf stalk in.

There was blood on the floor, blood on Rumlow's fist and blood flaking on Winter's beautiful fucking face. Mina doesn't react as she usually would, with all the fury of a warrior, the fury of someone who'd rip apart a man in an instant for touching what was hers. In fact, Mina is unnervingly calm.

She watched Rumlow lay a few punches to Winter's stomach, the force enough to have the soldier double over and fall onto the matts on the ground.

Mina takes this as her que, interrupting with a round of applause, a deadly smile adorning her features.

Everyone pauses, some of the agents even pale around the gills a tad, all except Rumlow. The wolf pretends to frown, faking confusion as she furrows her brow and cocks her hip. "No please, go on. I'm sure beating someone up who could kill you all without blinking is the closest any of you get to feeling important around here. So please… continue."

Her invitation isn't real, most of the agents know this. However, one prick thinks it's a good idea to hit Winter when he's down. Rollins she's sure his name is, the man kicks Winter in his stomach directly over the place Rumlow had hit before. Hearing the responding pained grunt has Mina gritting her teeth, the vein in her jaw popping. 

Rollins turns back to the group with a grin, proud of his achievement. Not expecting the roundhouse kick Mina delivered to his stomach after stalking up on him, he flies backward into the wall. His body hits the concrete with a resounding thud, his groan long and wheezy played like music to Mina's ears.

After a few seconds of stillness, the wolf spins around to face the rest of the agents. "Anyone else?" She mocks pointing to Rollins’ squirming body on the floor.

Rumlow scoffs as no one’s speaking up and Mina's eye flick over to him slow and precise. "You need to get yourself a mate bitch, this wolf posturing shits getting old."

Mina narrows her eyes, her posture at ease in contrast to her upturned lip. "I have a _mate_ you cunt. Now take your fucking bitch and get out of here."

The greasy worm has the audacity to round in on her, his stubborn nature clearly giving him the guts to face off against the wolf. "Yeah and if I don’t what you gonna do huh? Sick your dog on me." The idea makes him scoff. "He's under Pierce's direct orders, he couldn't hurt me even if he _wanted_ to." The others rally in behind Rumlow, feeding off his stupidity like the chickens they were. Mina doesn't threat even a little, she bares her fangs and grins.

"You're right _he_ can't, which is why _I'm_ going to give you ten seconds to get out Rumlow. If you're not out of my sight before then," Her hand lifts and ever so slowly she lets a claw slide out from the webby flesh on her hand, the bone cracking jarring to the ear. "I'm going to rip you open. From your belly button to your _taint_." Her manic smirk grows the more panicked Rumlow gets.

The room is once again enveloped by a choking silence, everyone heading the threat in her words with more wariness this time.

Rumlow leaves in a huff, heading her warning for what it was and orders a few idiotic men to get Rollins up and out. Mina growls menacingly at the men who pass her. They jump a few feet in the air and trip over nothing to get to the door faster.

Satisfied at being alone with the one she desired to be alone with Mina turns to check on Winter, only the man is nowhere to be found. 

"Winter?"

A body rushes hers with the stealth only a trained assassin could muster. The air rushes from her lungs as Winter holds her neck in a choke hold whilst straddling her, all the while he glares daggers into her eyes. 

Mina couldn't be happier with the circumstance; she even purrs a bit as she grasps onto the man’s hips to keep him above her.

"What is a _mate_!?" Bucky demands from his position on her and Mina grins up at him in delight.

"A mate is what my kind call a partner, except mates are considered to be inseparable, bonded by their souls to form a love stronger than any other."

Bucky thinks on the definition, his hand clenching sporadically on her neck, the wolf wants to bruise there, and she practically forces herself to stop from biting him in the base when he asks innocently, as if he's scared of her answer. "Who is your mate?" 

The answer is so clear in her mind, so easy to utter into existence that she doesn't even hesitate. "You are my mate."

"Why?" Winter's shuddering now, the notch in his spine undulates from above her showing he’s minutes away from relaxing and Mina sighs pleased, as the grip of his hand loosens, and his thumb rubs small circles into her pulse instead. 

Her fangs fall out unbidden. "Because you gave yourself to me and I have given myself to you."

Winter needs to hear more, squeezes her neck in warning to give him an answer he can depend on. "How?" In favour of a verbal answer, the wolf digs her fingers into the hair at his nape and pulls him over her completely.

She husks in his ear. "Do you not feel it, the bond from my heart to yours, doesn’t it make your chest ache whenever I'm not near?" Winer moans into the hollow of her neck, breathes in the tantalising smell of her skin and **wants**. More than he can ever remember wanting before, the sensation conflicts with his programming but he finds himself unable to control this innate desire to want her. "This, Winter. Is our bond and it makes you mine and me, yours. _Forever_. Meaning I will never leave you, aren’t you sick of people leaving you, of never seeing the same face after they use you and freeze you away?"

Winter shakes his head, trying to make sense of the rapid thoughts in his head. "There are no emotions in me. I am an asset. That is all." Mina growls rejecting the very idea, Winter's breath is heavy on her neck, he's struggling with the onslaught of input.

Mina shushes him, stroking his leather clad back with her hands. "This means I am also an asset and you are my handler."

He shakes his head in denial. "An asset cannot be a handler."

"Then be my mate."

Grey eyes flicker rapidly across her lapis blue ones, as if searching for a solution to his racing thoughts. Then to both their shock he utters, "I am compromised."

The wolf hums. "I will protect you, be my mate and soon this will all be forgotten, and you will belong to me completely and I to you completely...Do you want that?"

Bucky’s breaths are practically ragged, spaced out between little whimpers Mina’s sure he doesn’t realise he’s giving her. "The asset cannot want."

She shrugs under him, to put him at ease. "A mate can."

The stay still, her under him, with his hand slowly unwrapping from around her neck. Eventually he shifts back so their eyes meet once again, there are tears building in his grey eyes, he's so sweet, so perfect and Mina wants to burn HYDRA for ever hurting this creature that so dearly belongs to her. "Please, t-that is what I want." He croaks out in the quiet and the alpha in her preens.

Mina says the only thing she can. "Soon."


	20. The Asset

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mina's on the fucking war path.
> 
> Pierce is a fucking idiot, whose got her Bucky, her head is pounding with residue shocks and if there's one thing she wants right now it's to rain hell upon the old bastard and watch him suffer.
> 
> But first, he'll watch everything he's worked for fall.

Mina's stuck on thoughts about Winter and has been all morning. Alex called her to the Triskelion building for a debriefing before the STRIKE team got there with Steve.

The hybrid reports Fury's death to him in his lovely little office and when the man grins wider than she'd ever seen before she doesn't hold back an ironic smile of her own.

Mina's got on a disguise, a blonde cropped wig, square glasses that give the impression of her eyes being a dull brown, and to pair it all off she's wearing this horrid navy pantsuit and matching kitten heels, forgoing her collar for the sake of normality.

"Rogers will be here shortly. Knowing Nick, he'd probably informed him of something vital before he passed. There's definitely reason to be concerned now." Alex informs Mina as he pours her a glass of scotch, she accepts it.

In return to Pierce's concerns Mina asks a question. "You think he told Rogers about S.H.I.E.L.D being compromised?" His eyes pierce onto hers.

"I know he did." He traces round his desk and stands at his window overlooking the lake.

Mina hums around a mouthful of oaky alcohol, her minds spinning with possibilities for how this not only alters her plan but Pierce's as well. "Rogers is a target now." Pierce shakes his head.

"He can't be a target, he's one of the agencies most beloved treasures, the backlash of such a decision would be too big." Then it hits her like an epiphany the perfect way to ensure her plans go accordingly. 

Mina stands and stalks over to Pierce's position. " _Unless,_ Rogers becomes the villain in this little narrative." Mina plants the seed into his head and knows the exact moment where he starts considering it.

"It won’t work." _Ye have little faith._

Mina rolls her eyes. "Alex please, _she_ knows Rogers. If there's one thing we can count on it's that he's always gonna do the right thing. Surround him, give him no way out, turn everything he has left against him and when he runs, when he's weak and confused and the solider can march no more. You send out your soldier and you break him." Alex admires the wolf's bold idea, thinks it's brilliant but still there's an issue.

"Say we do what you're suggesting, the soldier isn't ready for him yet."

"They faced off already on the roof last night according to the fist of HYDRA," Mina faked contemplation, sighing in dismay. "But then again maybe your right, using him now would be too obvious." For show she pretends to lose herself in thought, then _'suddenly'_ a bright idea came to her. "Send in Rumlow and his STRIKE team, make it look like an official S.H.I.E.L.D decision. They'll do whatever is necessary to take down Rogers who is suspected of withholding secrets from you, with that story..." Mina shrugs. "The rest of the agency will follow blindly."

Alex finally smirks, finding the plan could work in favour for him. All to soon he’s typing up something on his laptop. "I'll alert Rumlow of the development, as soon as he lands with Rogers the plan will commence, don't stray too far biter you'll be needed later on."

"Of course, sir." They're blissfully interrupted by a knock on the door, it's a woman on the other side. Mina picks up a scent she feels she's smelt before and gracefully backs away from the boss as he calls for the door to be open.

A blonde’s head peeks into the room, Mina lets her posture change, she slouches and pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"Ah Agent 13, I was just concluding this meeting but please come in, we're just finishing up here." Staying in character Mina acts nervous as she makes her way to the door the agent is now entering.

"I'll have t-those reports on y-your desk right away sir." The hybrid mumbles with a shy voice and the blonde gives her a look of understanding as she passes. She didn't seem to recognise Mina who keeps up her little ruse until she makes her way out of the fancy facility. 

It's a massive rush of adrenaline when she gets to the elevator to the tech levels, such a feeling fades when she sees Rumlow walking down the corridor toward her with none other than Steven Rogers in tow.

The spy spots her first, thank god.

Mina contemplated the situation; she would literally be walking into a problem if she couldn’t figure out how to deal with Steve spotting her. Trancing the Captain if he recognised her would be the best course of action, but then she remembered a very relevant human quote.

_'Hide in plain sight'_

She kept the nerdy slouch when the STRIKE team walked past and let out her highest giggle.

"Rumlow." She sighed in a most flirty tone.

"Betsy." The rugged man huffed out understanding what Mina was doing, the wolf giggled again for good measure as Rumlow checked out her ass in passing. Steve gave him an odd look but apart from that appeared completely clueless.

As Mina got further away, she can hear Rumlow's mutter in explanation to the Captain.

"She's a tech nerd. Works upstairs." They seemed to be leading Steve towards the briefing room, in favour of Alexanders office. This was good, it meant the man would leave his compute unattended for a few precious minutes, giving Mina the opportunity to rifle though its contents.

There had been a vent in Pierce's office, she remembers staring up at it as the man yapped on about one thing or another; that would be her way in.

Slipping into the nearest cleaning closest Mina made sure the coast was clear before undoing the grate and hoisting herself into the small space. Putting the vent door back in place she crawled her way toward Pierces office using her skilled nose and wished she'd inhibited more feline qualities. 

It was as she thought, Alex was nowhere to be seen. She unlatched the vents opening in the ceiling and pushed it aside, the decent to his office was easy. His computer sat atop his desk motionless and locked, Mina gave it a quick scan.

Her eyes enhanced their vision to see the dust on the keys, and more recently the keys which were clean. It didn't help much, there were too many keys clear to get a hint on what the man’s password could be.

Mina wasn't deterred if anything she was amused. She unlocked her phone and wired it into Pierce's computer, once it accepted her phones presence, she opened the link for a program Moore had installed onto it.

The program began to hack into the man’s system, bypassing his security in favour of scanning details about Pierce to determine his password.

When the computer pinged welcoming Pierce to his homepage Mina smiled. "Oh Moore, you're a fucking saint."

HAILHYDRA

Mina had to roll her yes, really? The leader couldn't have been more transparent. With the system open Mina was free to roam his desktop, opening his folders until she came across the one, she was looking for. 

Operation S.H.I.E.L.D was in his most recently viewed folders, inside were a couple random files but what stuck out most was the file titles PROJECT INSIGHT and Mina took a quick scan through its contents to make sure she'd gotten the right one.

Helicarriers...control...removal of threats to HYDRA...premeditated killing.

The wolf's eyes widen in disgust the more she takes in, Pierce's plan was fucking diabolical.

After a shiver passed through her Mina dragged the files contents to save it into her phone. The transfer would take a minute to download, Mina sighed checking in with Inova as she did. Her sister couldn't believe the man’s plan as much as she could and the two became momentarily distracted and failed to hear the steps wondering down the corridor.

The handle jiggled and Mina glanced up, whoever was on the other side had forgotten the door needed a key card to open. "Thank fuck." Mina hastily grabbed the phone after confirming the information transfer and exited all the tabs on the homepage, after quickly doing it she used her vamp speed to jump back into the vent and close the opening silently.

Pierce stepped into his office not moments after ward, and Mina exhaled shakily at the close call. 

She'd gotten what she needed and traced her way back to the broom closet. 

When Mina exits, she finds Rumlow heading towards the elevators, two of his men readying themselves for a fight. The wolf whips her blonde wig round and smirks mischievously at him. "You know he'll clock you if you don't get a handle on your nerves." She teases into Rumlow's ear and if looks could kill she would surely have been dead after the one he shot at her.

"We're fine."

She hums. "When he breaks one of your bones, just remember I warned you Broccoli."

"That-" Rumlow huffs in frustration "that's not my name!" Mina's already stalking off laughing.

She reaches her car in the garage and slides in smoothly. She takes off the glasses and wig as she drives out of the base, the third step was now in motion. Inova's like a backseat driver offering her commentary without warning as Mina thinks things through.

Inova's annoyed. "Any particular reason you've baited Pierce into going after Steve?" Her sister adjusts the rear-view mirror stalling for time, Mina's always liked riling Inova up.

"I need Pierce's concentration to be on something else instead of me right now, Steve won’t be hurt don't worry." Her sister seems placated enough, considering Inova's now asking about strategy.

"What are you thinking?"

Mina pulls sharply around a bend and changes directions to lead her to the motorway. "I want to trick Pierce at his own game, I'm doing it already, he's incredibly naïve and easy to fool but somethings bugging me." 

Inova asks what the _'something'_ could possibly be but Minas already talking her thoughts aloud. "He says HYDRA knows everything right?"

She can feel Inova's befuddled emotions projecting from her own. "So what?"

The wolf rolls her eyes as if the answers obvious. "So, why the hell doesn't he know about us? About our connection to Bucky from before." Mina felt hindered, she couldn't quite work out what Alexander's true motives were, and it was affecting the way she planned.

Inova hums. "You feel you've become a pawn?" Mina shrugs. "Maybe he does know, maybe that's why he's using Bucky to play you." 

"It's more than that, if he's playing a game why isn't he using us to make any major moves, what does he want from us?" Mina was sure the question would soon be answered.

*-*

Later, in the day, with Captain America now being a fugitive on the run from the agency. Mina had been ordered by Pierce to oversee Rumlow's team yet again to avoid a disaster. 

The wolf was in the mall casually sipping an iced latte when she spotted Steve. Delightfully enough it appeared he'd partnered up with Natasha whose hair had changed since the last time Inova had spoken to her.

"It would be so easy for Rumlow to kill them right now." Mina deadpanned to Inova who she could tell was growing irritable by the lack of Mina informing her of the plan.

 _"Is that a part of your plan?"_ Her warning voice amuses Mina to no end and the wolf takes a long sip of coffee whilst playing with the metal railing, instead of answering. As she watches the two partners journey across the mall trying to escape Hydra, Mina decides to have a little fun.

"No... but this is." Mina's hand presses down on her intercom just after she whispers the reply to Inova.

"Confirmed scent on Rogers on the upper floors." Mina waits for Rumlow's affirmative at her informative tip before relaxing fully against the metal bar.

He makes his way up the escalator just as Natasha and Steve are heading down.

Mina watches gleefully as the scene unfolds.

Natasha being the great spy she is immediately recognises Rumlow and turns around to stare up at Steve.

"Kiss me." She states blandly.

Steve tenses in confusion. "What?"

"Public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable."

"Yes, they do." Natasha doesn't wait, clutching the back of Steve's head so he's pulled down to her level. They kiss gently as Mina watches and Rumlow idiotically passes them without a second thought.

As Mina looks down, to her amusement the bar has dented beneath her right hand, Inova's jealousy burns through their bond and the wolf smirks.

"Still uncomfortable?" Natasha teases as they walk off the escalator, Steve looks pleasantly puzzled.

"That's not exactly the word I would use." Mina lets them get away, Rumlow will be blamed for their escape not her; well at least she thinks so.

For now, Mina finishes up her coffee and formulates the rest of her plan.

*-*

There hadn't been a day where Mina could remember being this angry, angry to the point where her fangs bared aggressively at anything that moved, angry to the point where she toyed with the idea of breaking into Pierce's home and snapping his neck.

Fucking Zola!

HYDRA had kept him alive, his mind living in the system, Mina felt betrayed. Her ease at the man having died a horrible death locked away in some prison turns to ash, all those years.

All those fucking years, thinking her revenge was had, thinking Bucky's death had been repaid. Now she stared at a screen showing footage of Camp Leigh, the place hosted the machines which stored Zola's brain and even though Steve and Natasha were in the base, Mina wanted it gone, obliterated.

The thing everyone gets wrong about Mina is that she's not Inova, the two are nothing alike. Where Inova's practicality led her actions, Mina had always been cruel. Her instincts stronger because of the clash of monster’s inside her, hybrids were volatile. 

Mina was no different.

She glared at the agent who manned the footage. "Fire the missile at the base." Everyone in the room turns to blink up at her, the wolf is unflinching.

Inova's apparently present enough to try and stop her. _"That'll kill them!"_

Mina ignores Inova's pleads in favour of gripping the agent’s shoulder hard in warning. "Pierce wants them both dead anyway, now fire the fucking missile!" Her control over Inova slipped momentarily as she banged to get the hell out of this mind trap, but she held strong until the missile hit its target.

The place exploded, everything went up in flames including Zola and Mina felt her breath coming a little easy.

Being in the presence of Hydra agents- all getting their precious soldier ready for the upcoming battle we knew was to come- Mina's calm façade was abandoned a more than a little. Mina threatened one of the nerds to hack into Rumlow's feed- who she knew had been sent by Pierce initially to kill the two.

"Do you see their bodies?" Mina's doubt was met with static and Rumlow's dusty feed. It was moments until a reply finally came in response to it.

"They're not here!" One agent murmured beside Rumlow somewhere, but the camera had picked it up. 

Mina's relief was thwarted at Rumlow's next words.

"Call in the asset!" Her anger peeked and she smashed the tablet across the room, the agent she had threatened flinched as it smashed on the wall behind him, his eyes glued to her in fear and to say it pissed the wolf off would be an understatement.

"What're you staring at?" He fumbles like a little mouse to taking his eyes off her and Mina shakes her head. 

Mina marches from the room in a maddened state.

*-*

The Asset had been ordered by his handler to find Mina.

It wasn't that difficult, the moment he was delivered back to the murky base one of the scientists shakily told him she was in the gym.

With purpose Winter made his way to her location, he pauses in the doorway at the first sight of her. She lay back on the floor surrounded by bodies, previous HYDRA agents who were unfortunate to be in her sight in her rage.

"They're not dead, if that's what you’re wondering."

Winter is alert as she addresses him without opening her eyes, seeing as he's already been made, he moves out of the shadows toward her.

"Pierce requested I find you." Mina leans her head up as her eyes open in slits, Winters caught in the headlights of her gaze. 

"What did Pierce order?"

"Confirmed death of two targets, level 6." A few emotions flickered across her eyes, recognition, relief only to end with urgency.

"How long?" She asks him in monotone as she stands amongst the pile.

"10 hours."

The wolf nods. "Do I have permitted Involvement?"

"Only if necessary." Her head nods in recognition and she wipes at her forehead only to grimace when her fingers come back with blood. It's when she's close to Winter that he catches her eyes and grey clashes against blue as she ponders.

"Guess I should get cleaned up then hmm." She doesn't even make it to the door, let alone past him. Winter grasps her forearm in his metal grip, Mina's attention switches from the sight of them connected to the grey of his eyes.

His voice is as always hesitant. "You were hungry?" Mina can't understand what point he's trying to make, her head inclines to the right.

"No."

Not for the first time Winter has Mina in a harsh grasp and presses her against one of the walls, his tone come clearer when her breath accelerates. "Mates don't lie."

If Mina was confused at first his words change this immediately. The man restricting her pleads with his eyes, Mina knows what he wants, knows why he's acting out trying to get her attention. He want's affection, the notion addicting to him. The wolf grins. "It's not a lie, I wasn't hungry. I was angry."

Winters grip slackens the smallest amount, his brows furrowed as he takes her in. "Are you still angry?"

She shakes her head, lifting her hand to trace the perfect bow of Winters lips. "We've got to do a mission. I can't give you what you want." He's going to whine but Mina puts a finger to his lips gently. "Soon."

***-***

Should she really be sweating?

Why was she so sweaty?

She was wearing jean shorts and a white off the shoulder crop top for Christ sakes, it was hot sure but not that hot.

Why was she nervous?

Oh, right.

Mina hisses under her breath whilst waltzing up the stairs to Sam's condo. "Can you calm the fuck down, it's gonna be fine." Inova jerks their bond and Mina's hand shoots up to her head, she glares into the windowpane at her reflection.

 _"You don't know that."_ Ignoring her sister Mina knocks twice upon the door.

Whatever movement and words on the other side were halted abruptly by the unscheduled interruption. There are a few seconds where Sam must've been frantically gesturing at the other two to hide as he'd have to check who it was. 

Mina watches in awe as the front door of his place is lurched open and the barrel of a gun is pointed ruthlessly at her face. The sight of her face gives Sam pause and Mina's all too happy to take advantage. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you wanted to shoot me."

Sam blinks hard. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Mina pouts. "Now Sam, is that anyway to greet a fellow vet?" The man doesn’t take to her joke too well, his frown deepens, the fingers curling tighter around his door as if he was moments away from shutting it in her face.

"I’ll tell you this now, ain't no vet ever showed up at my home before."

Mina shrugs, the being admired Sam's resolve but waiting outside when she had very little time was becoming very tedious. "I like you." Without waiting for a reply, she tilts her head over the man’s shoulder to shout out. "Tasha, Steve if you could please stop lurking around the corner and tell your new friend I'm here to help- that'd be great!"

The first person around the corner is Steve, his ocean eyes widen and soften all within seconds, god only knew what he was thinking. It seemed his final emotion settled on relief as he bounded over with his arms outstretched toward her.

At first Mina doesn't know what to expect, that is until the man’s bulky arms are encasing her in a hug. Now there was a smell to super soldiers, she knew this for sure now. Something in their blood magnified the potency of it, made the smell hypnotic, harder to resist. 

The fucking taste was unlike anything she'd ever had.

"Whoa, easy blondie. Let's not do this yeah?" She unlatched her body from his and breathed out through her mouth to get the delicious scent away.

"Inova?"

Mina smirks. "Not Inova sexy, sorry. Though I kinda wish I was, if I knew it was going to get a blush like that from you." Her naughty wink sent his way flusters the captain even more, the pink hue growing deeper by the second.

Inova warns her with a mind slap.

"Yeah, yeah hold your horses." Then in a smooth move Mina grasps Steve’s cheek in her hold and looks him over for Inova, tilting his head back and forth in between her hands which Steve let's her willingly do. "Did ya get hurt in the explosion?" He shakes his head almost on reflex, but Mina's not convinced, she runs a hand down his side watching for any flinches in the muscle. When her fingers dig slightly into the expanse of his left shoulder and the muscle ripples under the touch, she raises a brow.

Steve's already shrugging her hand off, he clears his throat sheepishly. "I'm fine." Before Mina can counteract his dismissal, Natasha coughs pointedly.

"If you're not Inova who are you?"

"Mina. Glad to see your both still alive by the way." Finally, Mina addresses Sam again, her smirk beaming in full affect whilst she purrs at the handsome man. "Sam, I apologise for the little lie back at the VA. I had to know you could be trusted."

Sam's got what could only be described as flabbergasted whilst crossing his arms. "With what?"

Mina squints over at Steve as if the answers obvious. "Him." Natasha snorts crudely and when Steve gives her the _'Captain America's disappointed in_ _you'_ glare she holds up her hands in indifference, the smirk barely leaving her mouth.

"How did you know we were here?" Steve moves on to ask her and Mina leans to sit against the dining table much to Sam's chagrin. The wolf picks up a slice of toast, sniffs, takes a bite, and pops it back down on the plate before replying.

Her tone is bored as she does. "I've been keeping tabs on you."

Nat scoffs. "Yeah no offense, but Inova wouldn't have left us to do all this shit on our own, we could use an immortal vampire in the field right about now."

Mina's eyes narrow dangerously in warning at the redhead and Steve steps subconsciously closer to the wolf. "I'm not Inova, don't make that mistake again. I'm only here as a courtesy to her Nat, _she_ wanted to make sure you weren't dead, and _I_ made sure you weren't. All you guys have to do is stay alive. I need more time."

Steve adjusts his stance and frowns. "More time for what?"

The answers obvious, Mina rolls her eyes at the Captains test. "Pierce."

Steve nods as if the name confirms something in his mind. Unlike Inova whose buzzing in shame under the skin, Mina meets his sad baby blues head on. "So, you knew all of this was gonna happen."

The wolf rolls her eyes. "Somethings yes, others no. I'm on his good side for now, tryna fuck shit up from the inside. All I need from you guys is the promise to stay on the outside, think you can do that?"

Steve is and always has been a stubborn mule who never let the elephant in the room be. "Where's Inova now?"

Mina taps on the right side of her head in exasperation. "Right here blondie."

His cute brow furrows in confusion and Mina gets an unsettling sense of Deja vu. "Can she see us?"

The wolf's lips quirk up in amusement. "Am I blind?" He shakes his head when it’s clear she wishes for him to answer. “Well then neither is she.” That shuts him right up, well almost does. Soon he's sighing, rubbing the hair on his nape in soft embarrassment.

"We didn't exactly leave things on a good note."

She's going soft, being mated to Bucky has made her hard shell a soft underbelly, her chest hurt for Steve for a second. Holding back her grimace Mina rambles. "Totally all my fault so you don’t have to worry, everything's forgiven you can hold hands after this is done. Speaking of getting shit done, I kinda have to warn you guys to watch your backs." Sam and Nat survey the scene in amusement as Mina stands to her full height and taps the darker man on the shoulder. "Keep your eye on this one, he'll come in handy-" A notification bell chirps into the comfortable space and they all watch on as Mina produces a phone from bra and sighs at whatever she reads.

"I gotta go." She's marching to the door to leave almost as soon as she says it. 

Steve hurries after her, followed by the other two.

He gently taps Mina's shoulder to get her to wait. Spluttering out, "Can we talk for a second at least. Alone." Natasha and Sam take the hint, moving back into the small bungalow to the kitchen. Steve stands in the glow of sunlight and Mina cocks a hip at this secrecy from those he could supposedly trust but doesn't comment on it.

He starts after clearing his throat. "About killing Vladimir-"

Mina raises a brow in barely contained confusion. "What about it, it was something Inova wanted, she just didn't know it then."

Steve scoffs at the wolfs explanation, meeting her bright blue eyes with his own. "I find it hard to believe Nova would have wanted that, she couldn’t do it herself." 

The wolf is two seconds away from anger, exhaling through her nose she calms down to explain in a more mannered tone. "The relationship between the two of them was always difficult to understand Steve. If anything, you should be thanking me, Vlad would have ruined her… again."

The Captain's morals get in the way, it's the only reason he says. "You didn't have to kill him."

Mina scoffs, the harsh sound escalating into a chuckle as she stares Steve down. "Didn't I? He was going to take her away and make her kill others. Is that what you wanted, never to see her again?” The soldier doesn’t answer, his brow creasing even further, and Mina can’t help but notice how tired he looks. Steve's gone pale, his moral compass clearly conflicted, it jars Mina because she knows exactly what he's thinking, who he’s blaming. "Jesus, lighten up will ya! I didn't kill him for you okay, he was a monster we never fucking liked him and I'm glad he's fucking dead." It's automatic, his response to her taking responsibility. His shoulders sag in relief, his face lines smoothing out leaving him worry free.

Wow.

"Thank you, for taking that off my shoulders." The openness of his comment gives Mina pause, she's reminded of Bucky and oh isn't that some twisted sick humour. 

Steve doesn't know.

He's thanking her, but if he knew what she was hiding he'd have a very different opinion.

"Trust me Steve, you don't wanna thank me just yet. When this is over you can get me a blood bag or something." As a farewell she awkwardly pats his bicep, the last thing he sees is her long curly hair blurring her form before his very eyes.

*-*

Mina runs across the freeway where Winter has caused chaos and destruction.

Rumlow refused to give her a lift along with the others claiming she'd been lazy and needed the workout. Mina flipped him off as he left and used her speed to get to the mission point. Turns out the STRIKE team had been tipped off Steve's whereabouts because Sitwell had a tracker on him. 

Her vampire speed couldn't be used for a long period of time, soon her body got tired and Mina had to decrease speed significantly. Running across the bridge with her face mask on gained her worried glances from pedestrians that had chosen wisely to flee.

It didn't matter to Mina, the death of Natasha and Steve who had survived Pierce's missiles was underway and she rushed to be a part of this major plan. Under the pretence she would assist in killing them as well.

HYDRA didn't need to know her true intentions just yet.

Along the way Mina sees the ruined body of Jasper Sitwell and growls in celebration, he got what he deserved as far as she's concerned. Mina doesn't dwell on his death for too long as she catches the noise of gunshots ringing out on the road not too far up from her position. The hybrid hurries up a little only to catch Steve's scent on a totalled car, slowing down her curiosity gets the better of her, so she chooses to investigate it. 

Inside nobody remains but Mina's eyes catch the sight of a peculiar looking backpack thing, on second glance she recognised the pattern and picked it up to carry it with her. Winter's shooting up the road along with his HYDRA pals who'd been in the jeep as well. It comes as a little surprise to Mina when Winter pulls out his favourite fucking grenade launcher and shoots Cap off the freeway and into a bus below.

Within their bond the wolf could feel Inova wince as the Winter soldier turns his attentions onto the Black Widow who leaps onto the other highway ducking behind a car for cover. Winter pulls the trigger on the launcher once again and blows the car up, Widow manages to jump off in time thank god.

Mina leans over the bridge casually to see that Widow has managed to survive the leap and is now aiming her gun at Winter, the hybrid would intercept but the redhead only shoots his glasses, missing his skull. 

Mina finally makes it to the group; Winter takes off his ruined goggles revealing his eyes. He turns his gaze onto her whilst he reclips his- oh great -fucking machine gun, for a moment Mina hopes to intervene to possibly avoid his rapid firing on the ground. But if she intercepted now her cover would obviously be blown and the chances of saving Bucky worsen.

From there on out things get a bit hectic.

Winter and two others shoot at Widow from the road as she tries to escape. The firing ceases as she gets further away from our location and Winter starts mindlessly with the orders.

"I have her, find him." Then he turns to the wolf. "Only when necessary." In acknowledgement of his reminder she nods, Winter wastes no more time just jumps off onto a car below in pursuit of Widow.

Under strict instruction Mina stayed put, surveying the scene of the HYDRA agents pinning their ropes to the cars to jump off the bridge in the imitation of Winter. Mina places the backpack device in her hand down to the floor as only two agents on the remain on the bridge, what she doesn't expect is the appearance of Sam who skilfully takes down one of the agents with a knife, knocks them off the bridge and takes their weapon.

In all honesty Mina is surprised enough into standing still, she supposed now more than ever would be the best time to intervene as the man aimed his gun straight at her, the HYDRA agent behind Mina aimed right back at this new comer but before anyone could shoot the wolf kicked her 'fellow agent' in the gut with a roundhouse kick and he flew backwards into a car incapacitated by the force of it. Mina couldn't let him live, if he came to, he'd tell Pierce everything and her plan hadn't reached its end yet.

Bucky wasn't himself yet.

Under the watchful eye of the dark-skinned man she rushed to the HYDRA agents’ body and put him into a headlock. It takes some seconds under his rifling body but eventually he passes peacefully.

The man on the bridge gapes at Mina wearily, she cocks her head to the right getting up to focus her attentions on him. He still doesn't make a move so she determines he wouldn't shoot her. She raises her finger mimes a 'shh' gesture over her lips and lowers herself to the ground in a crouch to reach for the backpack thing.

This grabs his attention and his finger on the trigger tightens, Mina slips off her mask to show him her face and Sam relaxes. The wolf gets closer still until they're a metre apart, then she hands him his pack and points to the ground.

"He needs you." The blue eyes woman whispers ominously to Sam before disappearing completely from sight. That seems to snap him into action and it's not soon before he's helping Cap take out the agents down below.

"Go I got this!" Sam shouts to Steve.

As she gets closer to Winter, keeping her distance from the others lest she be recognised, Mina sees him shoot Natasha and for a moment regrets not stopping it. He's going to kill her; the wolf realises but Steve saves her by leaping at HYDRA's soldier and soon the grating sound of metal clashing on metal and the grunting of both soldiers resonate through the air.

It's Inova who seems to be all logic in this moment as she hisses through their bond.

 _"Steve can't find out Mina!"_ The wolf has a choice to make but it's still too soon, Alex must be stopped and if she does something now the backlash would be too great.

"Just wait!" Mina hisses back and that seems to get her quiet.

As the blows get worse the decision is taken out of her hands as Winters mask has come off.

He turns to Steve with a blank expression.

"Bucky?" Oh shit, you can almost pinpoint the exact moment Steve's heart just breaks. His face emitting defeat.

Mina's gonna regret it but now there's only one thing she can do. "Rumlow move in now!" The wolf communicates to him through the coms and knows within seconds a team of supposed STRIKE agents will be swarming the place.

Winter riddled with confusion carries on speaking to Steve. "Who the hell is Bucky?" Mina's about to intervene but the same man from the bridge swoops in and kicks _her_ Winter in the chest.

The soldier recovers and for a moment hesitates, he _hesitates!_

In a split-second decision Winter aims his gun back at Steve who's clearly in shock but Natasha fires a grenade at him before he can complete the mission. It was under the cover of all that smoke that Mina chose her opportunity to grab Bucky using her speed and got him out of there.

It's the only thing that feels right and if she doesn't deliver him back to HYDRA, they'd not only do something awful to him but to those Inova cared for too.

As Mina directs Winter to the nearest car garage Rumlow's team moves in and captures Steve, Nat and the winged man. The wolf gets the soldier to a nondescript car, she can tell he's not all there. His eyes have gone vacant, his muscles loose and compliant as she wrestles him into the seat and buckles him in. 

This had gotten real, too real, nothing felt right the whole thing was too planned too obvious. 

Mina's brain is scattered, there's too much at stake for her, which leads her to the obvious question.

Why had Pierce recruited her?

 _"Or better yet how could he have been so sure you'd accept his request anyway. You could've killed him straight away but instead he knew you wouldn't, he knew Mina!"_ Inova pitched in as Mina hastily drifted around a corner.

"That's not even remotely possible, the only way I was able to take control was because you were emotionally compromised because Vladimir hurt Carly. For Pierce to guarantee my cooperation he would've had to know you were going to lose control, he-" Mina trails off and Inova's rambling also comes to a stop as she realises just what Mina has figured out.

 _"He knew Carly was going to get hurt, he'd gotten to Vladimir and made him hurt her."_ It was the only thing that made sense.

“It still doesn’t explain why me, why _us_? What does one want with a thousand-year-old hybrid, what could we give him?”

Inova’s pieced it together, her voice distant, it was so obvious to her now. _“The only thing we could. He’s old, he’s a Nazi, the Nazi’s wanted a Reich that would last forever, but forever’s a very long time ain’t it.”_

That bastard wanted to be immortal.

"Mina?" The wolf snaps her head over to Bucky and realises he's finally stopped with his closed off emotions, he'd also just so happened to catch one side of her conversation.

Whoops.

He shudders when she takes one of her hands off the steering wheel and pets his hair. "It's gonna be ok, you hear me. You're gonna be ok." Without any further words she steadies her hands on the wheel and drives them back to base.

*-*

Mina's there with him in the federal savings bank (HYDRA's base) while he's getting fixed from his earlier encounter with Rogers, he's pretty beat up and beneath his skin Mina can sense the bruises that are bound to show. There are mumbles of a reboot, but the wolf has yet to know what that means. 

He hasn't said anything to anyone. 

Not even her.

Eventually the ongoing attentive hands of the doctors must frustrate him as he lashes out punching the doctor fixing his metal arm against the medical equipment. Guns instantaneously train on him and his chest heaves in anger.

"Relax," Mina coons, jumping in front of Winter effectively blocking their aim. "just cool it, the boss will be here soon." When Alex does show he gestures for the men to lower their guns. Mina can't help but think what amateurs they are as she steps to the side as well. More members of STRIKE enter with him and the door to the vault is shut.

"Mission report." Pierce orders, but Winter doesn't say anything following his lead Mina didn't either. 

Pierce tried again.

"Mission report, now." It's eerily quiet as Pierce lowers himself to the soldier’s level with a few steps and back hands him across the face.

Mina wants to take a step forward, to ring Pierce's neck, but Winter obeys the man.

"The man on the bridge, who was he?" All attention snaps to Pierce when they hear the question knowing he's going to break Bucky's mind further; the man doesn't hesitate a reply.

"You met him earlier this week on an assignment."

 _"LIAR! WE SHOULD KILL HIM, KILL HIM RIGHT NOW!"_ Minarefrains from raising an eyebrow at Inova's venomous exclamation.

_"Whoa, no Inova! keep a clear head!"_

Coming back to reality the wolf notices Winter is about to say something else. "I knew him." Winter sounds so sure and it's then that Pierce turns his accusing glare onto her.

"Why didn't you intervene?"

"I couldn't have, If I did then I would've been recognised, they expected the Winter Soldier not me, now they think he's the only-" Mina doesn't expect the slap to the face from the boss, her head barely moves but she's cut. Blood starts to drip from her lip wound, seconds later it heals.

"You're not here to look good, you're here to do as I say and if I tell you to intervene when necessary. You. Intervene!" He yells as if disgusted with her and Mina holds her rage back. "This could've been avoided."

Winter is so out of it he barely reacts after Alex rips his fury from the hybrid to calm himself, he takes a seat in front of Winter.

"Your work has been a gift to mankind, you've shaped the century and I need you to do it one more time. Society is at a tipping point between order and chaos. Tomorrow morning we're gonna give it a push but if you don't do your part, I can't do mine and HYDRA can't give the world the freedom it deserves." Mina glares at the back of the pricks head, fuming inwardly at Winters far off stare, he's not even listening.

"But I knew him." Her heart pounds in heavy beats against her ribs now, she feels the slight tremor of her lip as Winter aims a broken smile in her direction.

Pierce- catching the interaction between them- sighs, then gets up as Winter carries on his contempt.

"Prep him," What! Mina shuffles her weight from one leg to the other itching to stop this madness.

"He's been out of cryofreeze too long." The scientist fills in, but Pierce doesn't stop there.

"Then wipe him and start over." Winter appears foreign to Mina. She's never seen him this way, his blue eyes meet her own searching for help maybe but the wolf is paralysed. She knows what they're going to do now and from the look on his face so does he.

His breathing deepens as she watches on, his heart is erratic, yet his face is again blank as if he feels the pain is necessary, Mina wanted to tell him it really wasn't.

As the scientists gather the machines, she becomes eager to offer any sign of comfort. A secret message saying, ' _I'm going to get you out of this Winter, if it's the last thing I do'_ she gets his mouth guard and he licks his lips ready to receive it, his eyes never leaving hers as she puts it in his mouth.

She portrays no emotion as he's forcibly strapped in but inside, she's screaming. Mina wants to yell 'he hates constriction' but she can't. She's powerless. The conundrum she's in is too great.

Just be happy they're not killing him. The phrase is on repeat like a mantra in her head.

The machine activates with an electric buzz and he begins to scream around the guard, there's a little voice in the back of Mina's mind whispering, _'he's better off dead'_.

As he carries on Peirce turns to her.

"I have half the mind to wipe you too." Mina glares at him hard till she's sure the implication of it reaches his soul.

"I'd rather die than let your freaks brainwash me, you may have killed this man's soul, but I refuse to let you do the same to mine!"

Pierce apparently doesn't appreciate her lack of subordination and next thing she knows the wrath of a thousand jolts of electricity are sparking through her system. Her pained scream blends in with the soldiers cry as her knees hit the floor. 

The collar she realises.

Not soon enough the jolts stop and as Mina tries to recover her hair is yanked so her head tilts upwards and her eyes meet the storm, which is Alexander Pierce, finally she sees the true him. 

"You are going to go with Rumlow and his team and fix the mess you helped create. You disobey me again, and let's just say I'll melt your brain until nothing remains." Mina can't hold back a grin.

"Understood." She rasps and Pierce lets her go.

Alex starts to leave, Rumlow follows on and Mina watches his back swearing then and there that he was going to die a very horrible death.

"Mina!" His bark beckons Mina to follow, she does so on slightly wobbly legs.

Head held high and a familiar rage simmering.

*-*

Mina's on the fucking war path.

Pierce is a fucking idiot, whose got her Bucky, her head is pounding with residue shocks and if there's one thing she wants right now it's to rain hell upon the old bastard and watch him suffer.

But first, he'll watch everything he's worked for fall.

The wolf hadn't for his information just been standing around looking pretty, she'd had contingencies in play, had been in contact with Hill since seeing her again. Hill had told her to shadow the scientists and find a way to stop project insight, she'd done so exactly finding the targeting blades and giving them to agent Moore to recircuit their coding with a virus which will delete all targeting functions of the others.

She dropped them off to Hill a few nights ago and couldn't wait for the plan to set in motion.

The next day, well her blood still ran hot.

The collar was heavy on her neck and the tight leather of the suit she'd killed countless in did nothing to ease her guilty burden.

All for Pierce.

As requested, she followed Rumlow's STRIKE team into the Washington S. H.I.E.L.D headquarters, they went through the basement and worked their way up to the tech level.

It's as they're approaching their destination that a static sound through the base microphones, followed by none other than Captain America's voice.

"Attention all S.H.I.E.L.D agents, this is Steve Rogers. You've heard a lot about me over the last few days. Some of you were even ordered to hunt me down. But I think it's time to tell the truth. S.H.I.E.L.D. is not what we thought it was. It's been taken over by HYDRA. Alexander Pierce is their leader. The S.T.R.I.K.E. and Insight crew are HYDRA as well. I don't know how many more, but I know they're in the building. They could be standing right next to you. They almost have what they want. Absolute control. They shot Nick Fury. And it won't end there. If you launch those helicarriers today, HYDRA will be able to kill anyone that stands in their way. Unless we stop them. I know I'm asking a lot. But the price of freedom is high. It always has been. And it's a price I'm willing to pay. And if I'm the only one, then so be it. But I'm willing to bet I'm not."

As Mina processes his words guilt consumes her once more, the time is now.

Rumlow must feel her sense of betrayal by the side glance she throws his way because he stops right before they enter the technology den, grabs her neck in his grip and slams her into the wall.

Mina smirks pointedly at the agent, her eyes raking from his face to the hand clutching her neck, Rumlow grunts shoving her harder. "You don't kill them for Pierce, the Winter soldier dies when the mission is over." He lets her go after she nods her understanding. When her heel is back on the ground the wolf tries not to laugh.

Rumlow's just another one to add to the kill list. 

They enter the den soon after, the same blonde Agent 13 Mina believed her name was stood there amongst the other true S.H.I.E.L.D agents, she watched them like a hawk. Now that Mina wasn't in disguise, she noticed a lot of the agents had recognition in their eyes.

They reached the desk of a particularly young agent. 

Fear radiates off his body in waves and he braces himself as both Rumlow and Mina stop by his side.

"Prompt the launch sequence, send those ships up now." The scrawny kid doesn't react upon the HYDRA agents order and Mina feels a sense of pride bloom in her chest.

Ugh, what is happening to her.

"Is there a problem?" Rumlow enquiries and the boy shakes his head. "Is there a problem!?" This time Rumlow shouts and it causes the young agent to almost leap out of his skin.

"Sorry sir," He squeaks his hands phantom over the keyboard. Mina subtly braces herself to get involved as she thinks she knows what the boys thinking. "I'm not gonna launch those ships." It's sad, you can tell the kids scared of dying yet he persists. "Captain's orders." He gulps and Mina will be damned if she lets anything happen to him now.

Rumlow- expectedly - pulls a gun on the kid whose eyes slip shut.

"Move away from your station!" He demands but doesn't expect Agents 13 to step forward cocking her own gun to his head, in a spur of movement guns are trained on everyone.

"Like he said..." Agent 13 begins. "Captain's orders."

"You've picked the wrong side agent." Rumlow speaks.

"Depends on where your standing." On her threat Rumlow lowers his gun feigning surrender, she knows he's gonna go for his knife and readies herself. 

It's the man’s signature move after all.

He does reach for it, slitting the woman's hand which in turns causes her to drop the gun. He picks it up as she does which apparently signals a giant shootout.

Mina leaps to protect the kid, dropping him to the floor and rolling them both under the table.

All discretion is gone from the matter and Rumlow uses the distraction to type something on the computer to start the override. As he escapes Mina finds her footing and finally allies herself with the right side. The STRIKE idiots realise what shit they're into as the wolf blocks one of their shots at a S.H.I.E.L.D agent when she catches it in her hand.

"Aww don’t worry," Mina purrs striding toward him with the grace of a predator. "I'll be gentle." It's the last thing the shooter ever hears, she grabs him by the neck and throws him into the glass window, it shatters his spine. Next, she turns towards the others who have now aimed their shots at her instead of the others. Mina takes the opportunity to pick up the nearest desk and lunge it at them. Their pained grunts are absolute fucking music to hybrids ears, and she continues to pick off the rest. When she's done and the last has fallen Mina turns back to the true agents of S.H.I.E.L.D a smile gracing her lips as she holds out her hand to the blonde.

"Mina." The wolf introduces, completely ignoring the gun aimed right at her face.

"I know who you are, you're a fugitive in control of Inova's body." Mina gives her a small chuckle.

"Right, a fugitive like Captain America?" That at least gets this agent to blush sheepishly. "I've been undercover-" Gunshots and screams stopped the rest of Mina's explanation. "-and right now, I have to go. The world's in trouble and all that."

Mina speeds outside and at the burst of fresh air she sees what has become of Pierce's plan.

Rising from beneath the ground are three giant helicarriers, these even bigger than the last.

This was it, project insight.

The end of safety as they knew it.

Her instinct said to just make out Steve's scent and follow it but Mina's plans were stopped short as her nose picked up on another, rather pleasant scent.

Following it she reached a door hidden from sight and opened it up.

The moment she does she gets shot at right in the shoulder, Mina ducks automatically putting her hands up in surrender.

"Jesus Christ! **Hill, it's me**!" The shooting ceases.

"Mina?" Mina nods in hopes she'll lower the weapon. 

"Yeah, damn. I forgot how good your aim was." Through squinted eyes the agent regards the wolf hesitantly, Mina just gives her a small grin as she readjusts her weapon whilst throwing Mina the signature rolled eyes.

"I knew you were still sulking around." On a gasp Mina gapes at the woman.

"I do not sulk." She sulked and then caught another of Hill's eye rolls as she travelled up the stairs and towered over her at the screens. "So, how's it going?"

"We've got two of the targeting blades in play now, we're waiting on Steve for the third. Now that you're here, maybe you can help with containment." Maria turns to start typing something into the computer.

"Containment?"

"Yeah," More typing. "In about 10 minutes these carriers are gonna come hurtling out of the sky." Mina's eyebrows furrow.

"Have you called for evac?" This day was sure filled with a lot of questions.

"System have been alerted yeah. That's gonna be complete in about 2 minutes but they're still gonna fall." Mina hums thinking everything over.

"Steve on one of those things?"

"Apparently. The Winter Soldiers also trying to get up there." Mina's frustrated sigh makes Maria turn to her this time her eyes are narrowed in accusation. "You know him too?" Mina meets the brown eyes and sighs again.

"Let’s just say I haven't been doing nothing." Hill shakes her head but continues, nonetheless.

"8 minutes cap." She informs him through the line, and he says something in return but Mina's not listening to him, she needs to find Pierce.

"Do you have an ETA on Alexander?"

"Yeah, Nat's with him. Fury's on his way via helicopter should be here in... roundabout now." Footage from the helipad shows Fury's chopper landing and with Steve now onboard a helicarrier and Falcon. Mina knows she must go help the innocent lives who were currently being lost by the HYDRA agents.

"Notify me when the chips are in place, i'll bring Inova back to control the damage!" Sparing no more time talking Mina gets back into the action, the helicarriers are air born and Mina needs to find a way up. Luckily it just so happens that Winter had taken care of that problem when he shot a pilot in the head and hijacked his vessel.

Mina leaps onto the back of the jet unnoticed by Winter and hangs on tight as he flies upward. As soon as the wheels touch the tarmac Mina's off to hunt down the HYDRA agents, she needed to clear a path for Steve and Sam if the plan was going to work but she couldn't interfere with Bucky's mission.

Pierce may have poisoned his mind against her.

However, in-between picking off as many enemies as she could Mina notices Bucky charging toward Steve and Sam. He tackles Steve off the edge of the helicarrier and Mina goes running over, because for fuck sakes really Bucky. If that wasn't bad enough, he's now trying to kill Sam, the birdman is holding his own well but the soldier's a better strategist. When he rips of one of Sam's wings with a grappling hook the mans grounded, Mina can't shift cause the collars been activated but she can intercept. 

The wolf barges into Winter throwing him off balance and grabs Sam to throw them both off the ledge away from the solider.

She couldn't bring herself to hurt him anymore than that.

Mina and Sam go tumbling through the air, whilst they plummet Sam curses enough to make even a sailor blush whereas Mina remains calm and collected.

They're headed for the top of the Triskelion building and unlike Sam who has a parachute, Mina braces herself to land in a crouch.

The concrete below her legs absorb the impact of her landing, cracking below her whilst Sam lands a little rough a few metres from her.

Sam’s first action is to see if Steve's alive on comms, he is. 

Mina would have done something if he wasn't.

The next course of action was simple, kill Alexander.

Sam's breathing in heavily from his brush with death and sets his glare onto the woman who almost killed him, but also kind of saved his life.

Sam cleared his throat and the action made their eyes collide. "You backup?" Mina shrugged at the man and made her way toward the roof entrance, only stopping to call back to him over her shoulder.

"Something like that." Maria notifies Sam about Rumlow and Mina really wants to get him instead, but Pierce is more important. "Give em hell birdman." Mina opens the door for him and leaps down onto the helipad landing strip right beside Fury's helicopter. 

Heightened eyes make out Pierce walking toward her position somehow threatening Widow to guide him. Natasha spots Mina first just as she electrocutes herself with a Widow bite, Pierce panics trying to reboot the device, but Mina is too quick. She smashes through the glass windows and rips the badge off Widow, whilst she does this Alex tries to run away Fury goes to shoot him.

"Don't kill him!" Mina commands so Fury shoots the prick in the leg, Pierce falls over after Nick gets him right in the calf. The wolf makes sure Nat's alright and finally sets her sights on Pierce, the man’s scampering backwards trying to get away from her; the sight makes Mina grin.

"Oh _Piercy_ ," Her taunt makes the man shiver. "Are you afraid?" Her chosen words seem to trigger something in him, in a last attempt to save his own hide the HYDRA bastard activates the collars electrocution program but this time Mina's prepared. The shock barely phases her, Alex's eyes widen comically when she grips the collar with both hands and rips it off like it's nothing.

Fury- who’s knelt by Nat's side tears his eyes from the two when Nat starts coming around. The spy grunts out, "Those really do sting." and Fury smirks in relief before looking back up at Mina, Nat stands up on shaky feet to watch as well. "Oh, thank god." The redhead’s relief at seeing Mina- a superpowered hybrid- speaks volumes and Fury shakes his head.

“Thought you could forever huh?” Mina laughs in taunt, then the wolf scrutinizes Alex and smirks. "You may have thought Zola told you everything about me, but he left out something rather vital. He forgot to mention the intense obligation wolves feel when it comes down to our mate claims..." The wolf tuts condescendingly. "Oh Piercy, you don’t know do you?” Obviously, he doesn’t. The man’s eyes are alight with confusion, the thought of the information being the last thing he’ll ever hear brings joy to Mina’ heart.

The wolf makes sure to tower over him, smiling wickedly as she says, “You're HYDRA organisation just so happened to torture my mate… for 70 years."

Pierce is shaking with recognition, Mina ignores his ragged panting in favour of beginning the process of the shift, as her bones break, and figure starts to change before their eyes Nat takes a step back. A low animalistic growl leaves the beast’s body. "You have my permission to scream."

"Hail Hydraaaaa!!!" Massive teeth belonging to the biggest wolf Nat had ever seen tear the man to shreds. Pierce's screams are so shrill that the sound makes the spy's ears ring. 

When they cease and Mina's wolf backs off his carcass, Widow gulps as those eyes turn on her and Fury. The wolf snarls at them both and Nat thanks years of soviet training when she manages to stay composed. The wolf stops her advance abruptly, it cocks its head to the side and turns to survey the air. The guns of the helicarrier had been lowered from the carriers and had begun to target each other instead. 

Nat and Fury needed to go.

Fury grabbed Nat's hand after informing the wolf that she knew what she had to do.

The wolf nods.

**_*-*_ **

The process of returning Inova's consciousness back stung like hell. The vamp ripped to the surface with a harsh intake of air and took note of the taste of blood in her mouth, Alex's blood.

Inova was back!

Her glee was short lived, the Helicarriers had targeted one another and great shots blew in the sky.

Showtime, she guessed.

Inova quickly gained the powers of Saturni and pictured the size of the force field she would need to make. 

Yet nothing happened, the power flickered in the light but didn't seem to want to manifest.

 _"What's wrong! Why aren't you doing it?!"_ Mina barked like a backseat driver.

"I don't know, it’s not working." Once again Inova strained to create something with such a huge mass.

 _"Inova, Steve and Bucky are up there. If you don't do something they're going to die in a heap of explosions and metal."_ Mina was worried. _"Now I don't know how you feel about Steve, but if Bucky dies I-"_ The wolf from within her mind stops her tirade as if coming to her senses of the emotions she'd just revealed. _"Just make it happen!"_

Inova does, with the strength of her possessiveness guiding her actions she managed to surround all the carriers in a circle- well oval- sort of field. It's as she's doing this, she sees a small item drop from one of the carriers, her eyes zoom in on the item. The glimmer of red and blue flicker against the light- it's Steve's shield!

The vampire extends her right hand to catch it, in the next motion she drags the hand inward and brings the shield toward her. As it settles on the floor by her feet Inova failed to realise she'd been extending the other arm in as well, the helicarriers are headed for her direction and although she keeps a grip on them for a while they still drop into the lake and part of the building.

Inova drops the forcefield completely as one crashes into the building beneath her feet. Grabbing the shield, she rushes for the furthest surface away from the destruction and jumps off the Triskelion into the water below.  
  



	21. The Day SHIELD Fell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So, what now?" He whispered to Mina as the two walked hand in hand through his museum, taking private comfort in the familiarity which Steve provided.
> 
> "I need to find a way to get out of here," He throws Mina that adorable confused face and she can't help but grin. "Of this body I mean, remember I was trapped inside Inova by her bitch of a mother and now I need to get out?"

Inova had been kind enough to give Mina back control, Mina was under strict instruction from the vampire to go to _him_.

Mina followed his scent across the riverbed and watched as Winter- no Bucky. Dragged Steve's ruined body out of the river. He placed him down onto the mud when he reached her, giving her that same sad confused stare.

As if asking for a direction, or an order; anything.

Calmly she stabs Steve's shield into the soft mud beside him. 

"It's about time," Mina adopts a friendly tone and tutted when she sees the state of them both, Bucky knew that comment had a double meaning. Still Mina attempted to steer the focus away from the sensitive issue. "Oh, Winter you got your hair wet." Although this dig was supposed to inspire a greater reaction from him, she couldn't help but clock the distant look in his eyes.

"My mission...he calls me Bucky, just like you did." He wouldn't take his eyes off him, off Steve. 

To be honest Mina couldn't either.

"Yeah well, he knows you, or at least he did once." The wolf knelt beside Steve, ghosting her hands over his chest to check his vitals. Bucky did him bad, he got one shot right through his stomach another in his thigh. His face was bashed in too, clearly Buck had not refrained from using his metal arm. 

Bucky watches on, "You know him, don't you." It's not a question rather a statement laced in nothing but hurt.

" _She_ knows him not me," A blank glare answers Mina's stubborn attitude and she just deflates. "-but also...yeah." Mina goes back to making sure Steve's fucking breathing.

"Why can't...why can't I remember him?" Bucky sounded frustrated, so lost. After she made sure Steve would survive like this until he was found, the wolf stood up going to comfort Bucky in the only way she could.

"Hey," He refused to meet her eyes, so she grabbed his chin. "Hey! HYDRA messed with your head, scrambled it all up, it's not your fault." At the mention of Hydra his attention spiked up, realisation striking his features.

"We should go." Sparing a glance to Steve, Mina sighed. It had been a year since Inova’s last seen him this close. Because of this she could feel her restlessness bouncing underneath their skin; they had to go.

"Yeah I know." Mina still couldn't look away from Steve, and she growls at what she's about to say. "You have to go, go to the safe house I told you about- remember that night in Berlin. You'll be safe there, safe and sound hidden away from HYDRA's evil clutches." The hybrid was trying once again to lighten up the mood, but it failed to land on Bucky.

"You're leaving?" She could hear his insecurity clear as day.

"No, no! It's- it's _her_ , she needs to know he'll be ok. I'll meet you there you can count on that, I just gotta do this for her." He nods, then with one last reassuring tap to his arm he begins the trudge out of there. 

Leaving Mina and Steve at the water’s edge.

When Bucky's out of sight her gaze falls back to the broken soldier in the mud, her heavy sigh signals the last few months finally coming to an end.

*-*

The music playing was a jazz song from the Trouble man soundtrack, the vamp smiles fondly from her position standing at the foot of his hospital bed.

Like a complete creep she watches his chest move along with his soft breaths. His companion- who she finds out is Sam Wilson- sat beside him snoozing no doubt peacefully. 

With hesitance Inova stepped beside the soldier’s bed on the opposite side to Sam and sighed softly at the situation.

"Look at your face." She chokes out. "Thought I told you to behave, couldn't resist, could you?" Her tease to that day in New York was met with silence. Her bottom lip catches between her teeth but eventually she chanced it and pushes back his stray blonde hair from his forehead. "It doesn't matter...even when you're bruised you still manage to look absolutely dashing." A tear ran down her cheek as she breathlessly chuckled, knowing she had to leave soon broke her heart.

Inova sighed again, "He didn't mean it Steve, it was HYDRA they got into his head, made him a weapon. You know he would've never done it if he had a choice." Her hands threaded through his golden locks as the machine continued to beep steadily, she shouldn't be here for longer than this, but it was hard to say goodbye. After Mina took over, she had done nothing but bad by him. All those missions he'd been sent on to clean up the mess HYDRA and their new pet had left behind riddled Inova with guilt.

The vampire could sense Sam's breathing change he was awake but hadn't said anything, instead allowing her to finish this moment as he pretended to still be asleep.

"We'll meet again Mr. Rogers." She leant down placing a light kiss to his forehead just as he shifted. The urge to stay was strong but breaking another promise- was something she couldn't do right now. Reluctance heavy in her bones she goes to leave, it's with her back to him that a grip on her wrist holds her in place.

"Nova?" The addressed vamp snaps her head back to him and smiles gently, she's quick to brush the hair from his forehead back with a gentle hand. Simultaneously she checks his temperature, he's running a little hot but no more than usual.

"Hey, hey you." He groans a little, his eyes foggy but he recognises her that's all that matters. He tries to smile and the cut on his lip tears open. The skin rips and blood rushes to the surface, Inova tracks the drop blooming with her eyes and resists the urge to lick it off his mouth. Instead of being a massive creep she places a hand on his chest, so he doesn't try to sit up. "Take it easy Steven, I mean it you'll aggravate the healing."

"You came back." His small broken whisper almost breaks her.

"I had to make sure you were ok, couldn't bare the sight of you hurt." That cute little crinkle in his brow appears as he considers first the music, then Sam in the chair beside him.

"On your left." Sam took Steve's gruff voice as his cue to awaken and as he took in his eyeful of both superheroes, he shook his head at the ridiculousness that was now his life. The vamp’s eyes were a startling violet now, meaning- if Sam’s guesses were correct- he was now meeting Inova for the first time.

"A vampire and a super soldier walk into a hospital, sounds like the start of a bad joke." Steve huffs at the man’s banter and the air catches on the drop of blood pushing it from the wound on his lip so it runs down his chin.

Inova can't help her instincts and only realises she's catching the drop with her thumb, the warm breath from Steve's mouth hits her skin. Steve's eyes bore into her own and she takes her digit away to mutter an apology.

The blood is still on her thumb, she just holds it there refusing to do anything with it.

The Captain clears his throat and tries to act unaffected as he whispers. "Go for it." Sam's eyebrow raises in surprise as he watches the twos interaction, Inova's eyes don't stray from Steve's as she seals her lips over the thumb to lick the blood clean off.

Violet eyes flicker at the taste and-and is Steve readjusting himself in the hospital bed!?

Gross.

Sam finally decides to cut the obvious sexual tension in the room by clearing his throat.

Steve's the first to snap out of their staring contest and address Sam again. "You alright?"

Sam shrugs as a smirk grows on his lips. "I'm not the one who got shot, so yeah pretty alright."

Steve nods letting his eyes land on the vamp again, he comes to his sense’s seconds later. "Nova how did you-"

"I can't really explain, I'm glad I got to see you before leaving." Steve holds onto her wrist again, panic in his eyes.

"Why're you leaving, what's going on?"

Hearing the faint desperation Inova signals Sam to possibly leave the room, he does excuse himself under the rouse of going to get coffee. "It's just this group of individuals who've been making my life quite difficult as of late. Steve I really have to go." 

The Captain wants to protest, and he does. "You just got back. I've only just seen you again. Please don't go, please don't." Inova must physically tear her eyes away from his baby blues, just so she's able to think straight. 

He pulls her in closer, so she's leaning over him with her head propped atop his. Inova releases a hard breath, "You're making it difficult for me to say no. I'm trying to fix things, trying not to be selfish." she nuzzles the strands of his hair tickling her nose and inhales the scent that is her Steve. 

It shouldn't be possible, but he smells so innocent.

Her guilt comes back full force, soon Steve will have read the files on the web and known what Mina had been up to. 

Soon he'd hate her. 

With regretful movements Inova stands straight and shakes her head. "Be good okay, for me?" The vampire can tell from the pout on his face that Steve doesn't want to let her go, he's coherent enough not to beg anymore but instead nod his head in affirmation.

Inova nods, running her fingers through his hair one last time she kisses his face on the bruising below his right eye. "I'll see you soon." 

Steve reopens his eyes. Nothing is left to prove Inova was even there but a gust of wind and her floral smell.

Sam walks back in with two cups of coffee and some vending machine snacks, noticing the empty room and Steve's pouting. "Ok man, explain the deal between you two right now!" The soldier sinks into the itchy sheets, mumbling curses as Sam grins devilishly.

*-*

"You were always so dramatic," Inova stood beside Fury who was admiring a burning crate he'd set alight. "I obviously taught you well." Her tease got a grin from the one-eyed man.

"Well sometimes you gotta have that little extra flare, you should know all about that Princess Inova Edrani of Edrania!" Inova cringed as his mouth twitched up, the bloody cheek of him.

"I haven't heard that title in years, forgot I even told you that!" Their laughter was short lived as dying down into an eerie silence.

"How are you?" Inova knew he could tell she still cared. The deepening of her British accent would be enough for him to realise she was trying her best to keep the emotion out of her voice.

"I'm good, I heard that was down to you." Inova scoffs commenting dryly at his answer.

"Mina actually, she totally saved your butt back there. Now you owe her so no biggie." They regarded the flames for a little while longer until Inova's humanity got the better of her. In a surge of human instinct, she turned to hug him tightly. He was surprised at first, but after a while he hugged back.

"I couldn't stop it Nick, I'm sorry I was just so close to..." _Keeping her promise,_ she should have said but instead she sighed tears shining in her violet eyes.

"I understand, don't worry." He let her go slowly.

"How could you, it's my fault you got shot. I didn't protect you, I told you I was always going to do that...I promised your mother." A tear slipped down her cheek and he rubbed it away when she met his eyes again, he gave her the look of a Fury.

"Don't break another." It was so simple, like he just knew how to ease her doubts. 

They shared one more smile before he began walking away.

"I will come back eventually you know!" Inova called after him he kept going as he responded.

"I know but I won't... gotta go with the wind!" The vampire grinned exasperatedly.

"Hey Nick!" He stopped but didn't turn around, "He’s going to look, isn’t he?" Inova knew he understood just to who she was referring.

"He says he's got something to do, wouldn't be surprised if that something included you. Apart from that," He shrugs. "I don't know."

Inova could almost see Steve's look of determination now.

"Stay safe...I've always got your back. Just call and I'll be there."

"Same to you." Then he continued to go on to only God knows where. Looks like it was gonna be a wild trip from here on.

Inova set her eyes back to the burning crate taking comfort in the flames and thought over her next moves.

***** **-* 2 weeks later *-***

"So, what now?" He whispered to Mina as the two walked hand in hand through _his_ museum, taking private comfort in the familiarity which Steve provided.

"I need to find a way to get out of here," He throws Mina that adorable confused face and she can't help but grin. "Of this body I mean, remember I was trapped inside Inova by her bitch of a mother and now I need to get out?"

"Right... still confusing." Mina fiddled with the strings on the black hoody she wore, they were both going for the low key look since their faces had been out on the news a lot as of late- which was to be expected of course- you don't just blow helicarriers out the sky in Washington DC and not be expected to pay for your involvement.

Mina sighed but began honestly "I have to go see if any packs need my help." Their stop was sudden, and Mina faced away from the soldier’s face to the display of the 'fallen commando'. When she glanced up at Bucky's face once again, she noticed the distant look in his eyes.

"Hey." The wolf distracted him by pawing at his glove on his metal arm; he always hated that. "Stop that." Mina didn't, she carried on until he pinned both of her arms behind her back in frustration, drawing her in closer to him. As his intense gaze burned straight into her eyes, she held back the keen whine she felt herself on the verge of. Instead of giving in to the awkwardness that usually came from such proximity, he began to speak whilst keeping hold of her.

"Thank you, Mina, I can never repay you for what you've done for me..." He was grateful, but Mina could tell there was more.

"But?"

"I-I need to understand I guess." At her nodding he released his grip and Mina hugged him, not professionally but genuinely it was a surprise when he hugged back with equal need. When they separated, she smiled and kissed his cheek.

“I’m so glad you’re alive." That earned her a sad smile, he'd been remembering a lot as of late and she felt he knew the double meaning. "You remember, don't you?"

"Your face, it isn't new to me." Then uncharacteristically he brings his human hand up to touch Mina's cheek gently, "I've seen it before." she wants to comfort him, to say it'll all be ok, but she knows that's not quite true, so she doesn't lie.

"You know we can't hide together right now, it's too risky Bucky." Mina'd elected to call him Bucky ever since that day, his face saddens. "W-we'll stay in touch but for now this… this is the end of the line." Oops, definite wrong choice of words, he frowns at her.

"Sorry, I meant end of the road, track, drive- I don't know, you know what I mean." They go back to walking hand in hand as Mina flusters herself further. "Anyway, let's go. We still got a movie to watch Mr Barnes." He huffed at the nickname while Mina chuckled starting to walk away.

"Mina?" Turning around she saw the vulnerability in his eyes.

"Yes."

"Promise me...Promise me you won't fo-forget me."

_Oh Bucky._

Mina gives in to the- quite frankly- too long delayed impulse and gives him a kiss. Her eyes flutter closed, and she feels as well as hears his whine before he kisses her back. This feeling was indescribable, like relearning a language Mina had forgotten, having not done this in so long without Inova's presence their Mina felt higher than ever before.

After this small private moment which for a fact is one of the most fantastic things Mina had ever experienced, they separate, and she hugs him again even tighter than before.

"I never forgot you, _never_. And I promise...I'll never forget you Bucky. You won’t be forgotten, ever." And Mina was going to keep that promise forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapters a small one so imma double update, just because I can.
> 
> Kisses.


	22. Hello Mr Rogers, Did You Miss Me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carly was all smiles, enthusiastically pointing at everything and everyone. "Inova are those-" Said hybrid shushed the excited pup with a finger to her lips. Carly furiously whispers back to her, "I'm not gonna be quiet Inova, those are the Avengers! Aren't you like one of them?"  
> Purple eyes roll. "I haven't seen some of them for years!" The hybrid hisses back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Age of Ultron is one of my favourite Marvel movies, I think it's criminally under rated.
> 
> Do enjoy watching Inova get up to all kinds of bs. 😂💖

**_*-* 1 year later *-*_ **

They dashed through the snowy mountains of Sokovia, snow lapping against their furs as they ran. Inova led the pack away from the outskirts of the city, covering the tracks of the new pups was hard but Inova never denied a pack of their needs.

Especially seeing as she was the creator of all wolves.

Genevieve watched over the group on a peak not too far away but further out so she could spot any incoming threats. Davin had the back, making sure no pups fell behind, whilst Samantha guarded the little ones, supporting the less strong ones with a care only a mother could have.

They'd all been running for 2 hours straight and Inova could tell it was finally taking its toll on the younger and older wolves. Signalling Genevieve, the pack came to a halt at a clearing where everyone could rest and turn back into their human forms. Inova changed first then gradually everyone followed. 

As the mothers helped their children and the fathers checked their families, Inova set off scouting the area around her which for some reasoned seemed eerily familiar. Her minds stuck on the small observation when she overhears a conversation.

"It's the fourth day, how much longer do we have to go mom?" A little boy about 8 years of age asked his omega mother.

"I don't know my boy, but I do hope it's soon." His father scoffed at the mother’s words.

"Oh please! You think that woman could lead us, we don't even know if we can trust her god only knows why she's here!" He got a flick on the nose for his remark from a passing Carly, he began rubbing it glaring at the back of the girl’s rainbow covered hair.

"Never question the alpha of all alphas you dick, if it wasn't for her this entire pack would be nothing but savage bloodthirsty machines, killing any human in sight, she taught you how to live a better life and for that you should be grateful." Grinning at the teen’s bluntness Inova covers her mouth to morph the chuckles as Carly travels her way. Both disappeared far away from prying eyes and ears through the thick forest.

"Most of the wolves are finding it hard to agree with your methods." She started slowly not sure of how Inova would take her statement.

"Are you one of those few?" Her head shook vigorously.

"You know god damn well I'd never question your techniques, well not unless I have to." Grinning like children the two embraced one another.

"I will not let this pack die Carly. You know that don't you?"

"Of course, I know that but be warned if you do, I'll kill you myself." Inova smiled satisfied as she listened to Carly grumble on about the 'insane cold' whilst scorning the snow on her boots.

"Definitely and then you could-" Inova trailed off instinctively, switching her attention further into the lush canopy surrounding them, where distant noise echoed.

"Inova what-what is it?" Inova sped to the closest tree she could find and perched in one of the branches covered by the others for camouflage. 

Naturally Carly followed her.

"Inova what's-" The wolf was cut off by the sound of shooting and groans and Inova eyes widened.

*-*

In Sokovia the Avengers must infiltrate yet another HYDRA base in the search for Loki's sceptre.

Black Widow and Hawkeye have hijacked a Jeep and are taking down HYDRA on the ground, Hawkeye uses his arrows to ward off any enemy that gets too close to them, whilst Widow steers the vehicle perfectly taking out spies along the way.

Ironman flies overhead, taking care of any unseen threats the pair missed out. Another Jeep pulls alongside theirs, gun attached and ready to shoot when the mighty Thor leaps down taking it out.

Along with a ton of other bad guys.

Captain America drives through on his motorbike picking them off as he goes.

The Hulk also makes an appearance bashing and crashing anything or anyone who isn't an Avenger. Simultaneously each Avenger manages to jump into the fight, Thor with Mjolnir in hand calling the lightning, Cap on his bike, Hawkeye with a drawn arrow, Widow in a kick ass karate position with Ironman zooming past along with the Hulk.

HYDRA continued to fight back as the Ironman flew to the castle building, only to be repelled by some blue forcefield surrounding the entire structure.

It rippled revealing how large it really was.

"Shit!" Tony cursed in frustration.

"Language!" Cap firmly stated from over the intercom. "JARVIS what's the view from upstairs?" He asks as he drives through the wintery scene.

Deep in space JARVIS magnifies the area responding to the Captains request via satellite. "The central building is protected by some kind of energy shield. Strucker's technology is well beyond any other Hydra base we've ever taken."

"Loki's sceptre must be here!" Thor argued fighting heroically with Mjolnir in hand. "Strucker couldn't mount his defence without it, at long last." The satisfaction echoed in his tone.

"At long last is lasting a little long boys." Widow mocked in an almost sing song voice while impressively taking down some guys with her guns.

"Yeah, I think we lost the element of surprise!" Hawkeye took out a gun with an explosive arrow.

"Wait a second. No one else is gonna deal with the fact that Cap just said language?" Tony pitched in clearly exasperated.

"I know." Cap knew from the moment he said it that it'd take a while for that to die down. Jumping off his bike- making sure to grip the handlebars- he hurled it directly into a vehicle and it erupted in flames. "Just slipped out." The double entendre was not lost on him.

"Sir the city is taking fire." JARVIS informed as the Ironman flew over the monument, dodging shots as he went.

"Well, we know Strucker's not gonna worry about civilian casualties, send in the Iron legion." Metal iron bots descended from the sky onto the village of Sokovia attempting to warn people.

Little did the Avengers know more people were about to join the fight in shades of red and blue.

Hawkeye ran for cover behind a tree, breathing deeply he pulled an arrow back, aimed, then shot taking cover back against the tree. He didn't notice the blue streak catch it. Realising nothing had happened he tried again only this time was knocked over by the same streak. As Clint struggled to his feet he looked up and was met with a white-haired boy in a runner’s suit.

"You didn't see that coming?" The stranger remarked before speeding off, Clint got to his feet unaware of the danger which played ahead as he tried to aim at the unknown boy resulting in getting shot himself by a bunker.

"Clint!" Widow yelled making her way over to him. The streak blew past the Captain knocking him off his feet and into the air, luckily, he landed in a crouch.

"We have an enhanced in the field." He had calmly stated.

"Clint's hit!" Widow informed immediately beginning to preserve his wound. "Somebody wanna deal with that bunker." She was clearly annoyed and when the Hulk did just that she seemed to relax just a bit. "Thank you."

Stark we really need to get inside!" Cap who was beating some of HYDRA's agents reminded the billionaire.

"I'm closing in!" Was Starks reply.

*-*

Carly was all smiles, enthusiastically pointing at everything and everyone. "Inova are those-" Said hybrid shushed the excited pup with a finger to her lips. Carly furiously whispers back to her, "I'm not gonna be quiet Inova, those are the Avengers! Aren't you like one of them?"

Purple eyes roll. "I haven't seen some of them for years!" The hybrid hisses back.

"Not true, you saw Steve when-" Inova gives her the 'look' and stops any response the wolf may have had instantly. "Fine but you know this isn't exactly the right time for th-" Noticing the sudden fear in the young wolf's eyes Inova turned her attention to the ground where Carly's gaze had landed. There were some of the Lupians- 7 wolves to be exact, no doubt here for an easy meal, they'd probably followed them to Sokovia.

"Shit! Alright Carly we need to get to the pups and the mothers now!" Carly nods lunging down towards the earth to starts the journey back to the pack, Inova was about ready to follow her but pauses abruptly.

The vampire had spotted Steve running towards Thor completely oblivious to the wolves which had caught his scent and where stalking their prey.

"On second thought, Carly you get back to the pack, I'll be there in a second just got to hold them off for as long as possible." Inova leapt to another tree watching the black wolves descend on the food and readied herself to pounce.

*-*

"The enhanced?" Thor questions the Captain.

"He's a blur, all the new players we've faced I've never seen this, well almost never." He refers to _her_ but doesn't dwell on it.

"Clint's hit pretty bad you guys, we're gonna need evac." Widow buzzed in.

"I can get Barton to the jet, the sooner we're gone the better, you and Stark secure the sceptre."

"Copy that." Their attention was caught by a team of HYDRA agents who seemed to be making formation.

"It's like their lining up." Thor mocks.

"Well their excited." Cap teased back presenting his shield in a defensive stance ready to receive the hit from the mighty Mjolnir, which released a wave of hurt straight for the team blowing them away. Thor turned to Steve.

"Find the sceptre." Steve nodded as Thor twirled his hammer to fly off the ground.

"And for gosh sake watch your language!" Tony teased, rejoicing in this newfound way to make Cap's life a living hell.

"That's not going away any time soon." Cap mumbled to himself, right after a distant howl caught his attention. The memories of her popped up forbidden in his mind again but he had no choice but to push them down, they had to get the sceptre.

He carried on reluctantly.

Ironman burst into the building greeted by men with guns shooting at him.

"Guys. Stop. We gotta talk this through." His sarcasm was momentary, and they didn't suspect his missiles to fire at them.

"Good talk."

"No, it wasn't." One shot guy stated in obvious pain.

"Century mode." Tony commanded as he emerged from the suit.

*-*

"We're locked down out here." Widow reported from where she stood in the snow, Clint was safe, so she was good.

"Make it to Banner, time for a lullaby." Widow knew what Cap referred to and got to it straight away. Meanwhile Steve made his way to the building Tony preoccupied.

"Hey big guy," The Hulk roared, as raged as ever but begrudgingly looked towards Natasha as she removed her glove, getting down to a low level. "suns getting real low." Hesitantly, he approaches the spy and they performed their calming ritual.

*-*

"Baron Strucker, HYDRA's number one thug." Steve revealed himself to the man.

"Technically I'm a thug for S.H.I.E.L.D." He corrects smugly.

"Well then technically your unemployed, Where's Loki's sceptre?" Steve retorted as the villain sighed.

"Don't worry I know when I'm beat, you'll mention how I cooperated I hope." Strucker innocently replied knowing most likely that was not going to happen.

"I'll put it right under illegal human experimentation, how many are there?" Out of nowhere a flash of red from a woman blasted him backwards down some stairs then she disappeared as he ran back up.

"We have a second enhanced!" He quickly provided his team with the information "Do not engage!" He added for good measure, she'd been powerful.

"You'll have to be faster than that-" Strucker smart mouthed but was cut off by Steve kicking his shield up then at him, knocking him to the ground out cold within seconds.

"Guys I got Strucker." Steve chimed in.

"Yeah I got summin bigger." Tony out did it when met with Loki's sceptre plus a giant Chitauri mother carrier. "Thor, I got eyes on the prize." Just then the enhanced girl pulled Tony into a trance.

_The Chitauri carrier pulls away from the confining grip of the machines. As it floats above his head Tony follows the direction it's going in with his eyes until he's met with a throne, draped at its steps lay his team either dead or still hanging on. Fear lacing his heart he kneeled down beside Steve who shield was sliced in two, trying to check his pulse. He staggers back in fear when Steve’s hand clutched into his, the captain choked out a strangled phrase._

_" **You** , could have, saved us-" Then he gave up resting his head back bleeding from his nose. Tony was terrified. "Why didn't you do more?"_

_The words scarred Tony's mind, instantly his eyes latched onto an image which haunted even his worst nightmares the wormhole was open with thousands of Chitauri ships and carriers headed straight for the earth. No, no this wasn't his fault. It couldn't be his fault. Was it his fault?_

As the thoughts invaded his mind, he snapped out of it shaking whatever spell it was off. Not noticing the twins who stood in the corner watching his every move. The boy was about to intercept when his sister held him back.

"We're just gonna let him take it?" He questions, but oh the smile on her face was enough to make anyone's skin crawl. It held a devious secret along with the most perfect blend of mischief added just for the sake of it. The iron fist connected onto Tony's arm and he snatched up the sceptre.

Finally, after all this time they'd got it.

*-*

Inova tore the last head off the wolf just as Carly approached her. The wolves hadn’t been from the Slokan pack at all, they were Lupians for sure, unwilling to negotiate as they were after nothing but blood.

"Wow, you really are a proud alpha queen!" Inova scoffed at the comment, standing there covered in blood with her fangs extended to their full potential.

"I am anything but a queen...did the pack get to safety in time?" The young wolf she nods.

"Good, Carly I believe my services are no longer required here, your pack will need to make it to the mountain top. There is a cave big enough for the packs requirements, I scouted it out a few months ago, it's nice." Carly clumsily gave Inova a hug which resorted in the both falling over in the snow.

"Thank you so much." The vampire couldn't resist hugging the girl back, Carly's need for touch was something she'd just gotten used to in recent months.

"Do not thank me yet, next I have to bring your brother home." Carly got off Inova and gave her a helping hand to pull herself up with. "For now, I must go, tell your pack to treasure each other family is an important thing." Inova rethinks that statement with an unconvinced hum. "Unless you're me, then it's just complicated." Inova winces the same time Carly grimaces.

"Oh yeah, forgot different planet and whatnot, figures!" Inova's about to ask her what exactly 'figures 'but she's already given the vamp a brilliant smile as goodbye and ran off into the cover of the trees.

_"Alright_ _Mina, looks like were going on a little trip."_

_"Aww, but I liked it here!"_ Inova smiles at her reluctance from within.

_"As did I, but you we gotta go with the wind."_ Mina's scoff is so unconvinced.

_"Oh please, we all know you're going to him!"_

Inova hisses at the wolf's teasing sing song voice. _"Shut up!"_ Inova tried to reject that type of thought but deep down Inova knew she wasn't even wrong.

*-*

Bruce sat in the Quinjet blocked off from the world by the soothing tones of classical music, like he always did after code greens.

He knew it didn't help one bit, but it was peaceful, nonetheless.

Sometime in-between the Claire De Lune and Mozart, Natasha came and sat beside the scientist. He took the headphones off straight away.

"Hey," The spy smiles softly at him, "The lullaby worked better than ever." she speaks to him in a soft reserved voice which Banner was thankful for.

"Just wasn't expecting a code green." Was his truthful reply.

"If you hadn't been there, there would have been double the casualties. My best friend would have been a treasured memory." Bruce gets that she was trying to help but it wasn't helping.

"You know sometimes exactly what I wanna hear, isn't exactly what I wanna hear."

"How long before you trust me?" Oh Natasha.

"It's not you I don't trust." Knowingly she smirked at him, then for some reason decided to glance over her shoulder at the hunks.

"Thor report on the Hulk.'' Oh no, please no.

"THE GATES OF HELL ARE FILLED WITH THE SCREAMS OF HIS VICTIMS!" Banner's head collapsed into his hands, groaning as his attempt to bury himself there failed. 

Natasha's head snapped round so fast anyone else would've been given whiplash, she gave Thor her finest _'are you freaking kidding me!'_ face. 

Thor's tone changed dramatically. "-but not the screams of the dead of course no, no. Eh wounded screams, mainly whimpering, great deal of complaining. Tales of sprained deltoids and eh...gout." Such a smooth recovery, thank god for Tony's distraction.

"Hey Banner, Doctor Cho's on her way in from Sol. Is it ok if she sets up in your lab?"

"Uh yeah, she knows her way around."

"Thanks, tell her to prep everything Barton's gonna need full treatment." He requested of JARVIS.

"Very good sir."

"JARVIS take the wheel." Autopilot was activated.

"Yes sir, approach vector is locked." Tony went over to Thor and Steve as Banner thought out the rest of his anger.

*-*

The Quinjet landed on the tower with Miss Hill and Doctor Cho waiting as they unloaded. Steve stopped Tony for a second after everyone cleared out.

"Tony, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Cap. I already know what you're gonna say and yes," He fiddled with some options on the control panel and Steve eyed him patiently. "I checked."

"And?" The captain held onto the possibility, to the hope he had in Inova. Tony sighed, turning the pilot chair round to meet Steve's gaze with an almost pitying expression.

"Cap-Steve there's an 89% chance that you're gonna encounter wolves in Sokovia, it's not uncommon to hear a howl."

"I understand that but-" Once again Steve tried to reason, but his effort was half-baked at best, even he had to see the reality of the situation.

"Steve it's been a year, and no one has heard anything!" Tony snapped on instinct under the emotional pressure this conversation had. Steve shied away as Tony inhales deeply to calm himself a bit. "Look, I'm sorry but you're running yourself into the ground, working too hard, doing too much. Don't you think-!" Tony lowered his voice after sighing again. "Don't you think, by now we would of-should have heard something from her?" The genius was right, Steve knew that and yet there was still a part of him which hoped.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Maria walked in at that exact moment, Tony went back to data checking and Steve composed himself.

"Labs, all set up boss."

"Oh, actually he's the boss." Tony sasses. "I just pay for everything and design everything and make everyone look cooler." Steve changed the subject.

"What's the word on Strucker?"

"Reto's got em." Maria filled him in as he stood from his crouch position beside the equipment.

"Two enhanced?"

"Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, twins." The agent handed Steve a tablet with a feed of two kids as they headed to the elevator. "Orphaned at ten when a shell collapsed their apartment building, Sokovia's had a rough history, it's nowhere special on the way to everywhere special."

"Their abilities?" Steve inquires.

"He's got increased metabolism and improved thermal homeostasis, her thing is neural electric interfacing, telekinesis and mental manipulation." Steve didn't understand a lick of that, and it must have shown on his face.

"He's fast and she's weird." Hill summed up for me and he nods in appreciation.

"Well they're gonna show up again." Steve turns to get into the elevator.

"Agreed, file says they volunteered for Strucker's experiments. It's nuts." 

Steve smirks, "Right." he presses the up button on the panel. "What kind of monster would let a German scientist experiment on them to protect their country?" His remark is met with a pout on the woman's face.

"We're not at war, Captain."

"They are." He added just as the doors closed.

**_*-*3 days later *-*_ **

The party at the Avengers tower was on full swing, Mina had given Inova full control, stating she wasn't gonna be witness to the backlash the vampire was sure to get.

Inova examined the scene from above the balcony taking in every detail.

How the tower had changed.

The floors were now more advanced than ever, stairs winding on either ends of the main floor. Its sleek design seemed more thought out for a team and Inova was proud that Tony had put so much thought into something other than himself.

For now, she carried on watching. "So, I take the tank. Fly it right up to the general’s palace, drop it at his feet. I'm like boom, you lookin’ for this!" Inova chuckles at Rhodes sense of humour, along with the fact that Tony and Thor didn't laugh. "Boom you lookin-why do I even talk to you guys? Everyone else said that story kills!" They both were so unimpressed it was quite laughable.

"That's the whole story?" Thor questioned dissatisfaction drawn across his features.

"Yes, it's a war machine story."

"Oh, it's very good then, it's impressive" When they went on to debate about Pepper and Jane Inova placed her attention onto the men by the pool table. 

Mr. Wilson and Mr. Rogers were playing alongside each other. The vampire couldn't help but grin along at the boy's goofy smiles, Steve looked genuinely happy and that was perfect to see.

He'd clearly moved on, so what the hell was she doing here?

_"Maybe it's because you lo-"_ Inova immediately intercepted Mina's inward comment, her eyes widening in the process.

_"No, you don't Mina! We don't say the L word you know the rules. What happened to not wanting to be here?"_

_"Whatever, I'll just leave you to ogle at his body in that shirt then."_

_"I wasn't-”_ Inova cuts of the protest, knowing Mina could very tell what she was doing. "I left for good reason remember, let's leave it at that." The wolf giggles at Inova's reaction before retreating.

Leaving Inova to stare once again at Steve who's turn it is to shoot, his muscles tighten against the shirts fabric and she can't help but think of how it put her black sheer jumpsuit and fringed heels to shame. At the slight zone out, Inova notices the boys beginning to walk up the stairs. Her mass of curly hair should be enough to cover her seeing as she's only ever had it straight around them, so she lets her hair cover her face and faces away from them.

"Sounds like a hell of a fight, sorry I missed it." Sam says as they walk up the stairs.

"If I had known it was gonna be a fire fight, I absolutely would have called you." Steve assures his pal.

"No, no I'm not actually sorry. I'm just trying to sound tough, I'm very happy chasing cold leads to our missing persons case." That makes Inova perk up slightly, as she had now confirmed they were searching for Bucky and her.

So much for moving on. "Avenging is your world," Sam continued speaking. "your world is crazy." They stopped just a few metres away from where she leaned on the balcony.

"Be it ever so humble." The fact that they'd become so close made the vampire smile.

"Found a place in Brooklyn yet?" Sam asked the man out of time.

"I don't think, I can afford a place in Brooklyn." Poor Steve.

"Well home is home you know."

"Yeah I guess." Steven's eyes turned to the people on the lower level in the room.

"Man, you know what you need?" Steve shook his head at his friend. "To meet some new people and mingle, I mean I get that you have a duty and stuff but even Captain America can have a little fun sometime."

Steve's smile is small, normal to anyone else who couldn't read him but sad to those who could. "I'll consider it Sam."

*-*

As the night went on the party settled down a bit morphing into a chilled mood with less people there.

Inova had managed to spy a little Natasha and Bruce flirting moment, she totally saw that happening, it was seriously obvious. She sipped on the vodka cranberry she had picked up after the boy’s chat from earlier, relishing the cool taste it provided.

Then a smiling Steve stepped into the scene, as Nat leaves Bruce alone at the bar.

"It's nice." Bruce jumped a bit at his presence.

"What, what is?" The doctor acted clueless.

"You and Romanoff."

"Nah we had-that wasn't." Bruce rambled but Steve only put his hands up to calm the scientist.

"It's ok, nobody's breaking any bylaws, it's just she's not the most open person in the world, but with you she seems very relaxed." Inova's eyes narrowed in on them in intrigue.

"Nah Natasha she, she likes to flirt." Steve leaned to get a beer.

"I've seen her flirt, up close. This ain't that. Look as the world’s leading authority in waiting too long. Don't. You both deserve a win." Steve left Bruce.

"Wait what do you mean up close." Not knowing why Inova felt the odd sensation to rip Natasha's head clean of her body she tried not to let the annoyance get to her and failed miserably when the glass smashed in her fist.

Inova curses in her head and tries to discreetly brush the glass off her hand.

"What did the vodka ever do to you?" The familiar tone of Sam behind her put her on high alert, Inova sighed because of course Sam wasn't as oblivious as everyone else. Inova didn't turn around just leaned back onto the bar and refused to face him.

"The most horrifying things." Sam smirks at her retort.

"Such as?" His friendly flirting is what makes Inova finally turn to meet his eyes.

"Well it did just finish, if that's not a crime I don't know what is. But I guess the Falcon could help me with that little problem, now couldn't he?" Sam shook his head and sighed in exasperation at the vampire ease.

"You know, your boys gonna be pissed." Inova inwardly winces.

"On a scale of one to ten how pissed? One being a disapproving Captain glare and ten being a disapproving Captain speech."

Sam doesn't hesitate to retort, rolling his eyes as he does. "He's way past a scale at this point, so I'm going with a glare and a speech." The vampire winces for real this time, knowing this was bound to happen one way or another.

"Well, shit."

"Yeah. Look if you're here to cause trouble and leave again I'd much rather you didn't, he ain't been in the best place since DC and you pulling that stunt again ain't gonna go over well." Inova keeps her mouth shut and listen. "Do me a favour and stick around ok?"

"Sam It's not-" Inova was about to voice her opinion on the matter but froze as Steve called out to his pal.

"Sam!" His voice came from behind her and Inova thanked Edrania that she was facing away from him.

"Goodbye Mr. Wilson." Inova went to leave but Sam gently grasped her wrist stopping her mid flee.

"I mean it."

Inova nods and leaves just before Steve approached them.

"Who was that?" Inova heard the captain ask.

"Trouble." Sam shrugs and Inova sighed in relief, that could have ended badly.

*-*  
  


Later, the party had all about wrapped up. 

With only Maria, Clint, Natasha, Bruce, Rhodey, Tony, Steve, Cho and Thor, the mood was tranquil as they took comfort in the familiarity of each other. Inova continued to look among them from her hidden space on the dark second floor. She was unguarded which is why when she heard a whoosh from her left side she startled suddenly, she focused her attention to the sound and was greeted with a panting Carly.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?" The vampire hissed lowly mindful of the crowd below.

"You wouldn't respond to any of our howls, so I tracked your scent here, can't say I'm surprised." Inova glared at her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She shrugged and Inova gave up on trying to get an answer. "Whatever, why are you here?"

"Genevieve says the Lupians have your scent, their tracking you." Great, one more issue for Inova to deal with, the vampire nods and instructs Carly to sit down beside her. Carly does so eagerly when she notices the avengers below.

"Bet, it's a trick!" Clint accused spinning two drumsticks in his fingers.

"Oh no, it's much more than that." Thor ensured.

"Oh 'who shall ever be he worthy shall haveth the power!" Clint mimics an old English tone before laughing. "Whatever man it's a trick." He obviously referred to the almighty powerful Mjolnir.

"Well, please be my guest." Thor invited fully relaxed in its capabilities.

"Come on!" Tony urged, eager to see the event which was about to unfold before him.

"Really?" An excited and surprised Clint doubted.

"Yes!" He got up immediately at Thor's approval.

"Oh, this is gonna be beautiful." Rhodey mocked.

"Clint you've had a tough week. We won't hold it against you if you can't get it up." Everyone chuckled at Tony's smartass line which turned out to be completely correct as Clint was not worthy.

"Still don't know how you do it!" He chuckled out.

"Smell the silent judgement." Tony remarked.

"Please Stark, by all means." Clint gestured to where Mjolnir rested on the glass table.

He made a big show of it popping the button on his suit's blazer and everything.

"Mhm never one to shrink from an honest challenge, it's physics." He made his way over to it. "Right so then if I lift it, I then rule Asgard?"

"Yes of course." Thor played along with confidence in his voice.

"I will be reinstituting prima nocta." Typical Tony, Inova thought to herself. He tried to lift it even got his iron gauntlet on and Rhodes's too to help but nothing.

"Are we even pulling!" The dark-skinned man strained, chest heaving as he put everything he had into lifting.

"Are you on my team?" Tony questioned suspiciously.

"Just represent, pull!" They still managed nothing. Somewhere along the lines it had morphed into a game as next Bruce got up and tried.

He mocked turning into the Hulk unfortunately his humour didn't stretch far, as no one else laughed- unless you count a giggling Carly who Inova had to nudge in the ribs- Bruce took a seat.

Steve got up and rolled up his sleeves ready to have a go.

_"Did it just get hot in here?"_ Came Mina's jibe from inside the bond.

"Shut up Mina." Inova growls in warning.

"Hi Mina!" Carly whispers.

"She says hi." Inova tells her, Carly's smile grows wider.

Anyway, Steve gripped the handle on Mjolnir tightly full on ready to lift it.

It moved!

Just the slightest, not nearly enough for anyone without quick reflexes to notice. Inova smirked at Thor's weary facial expression which was gone as soon as it came after Steve gave up. The super soldier shook his head gently admitting defeat and Thor laughed it off.

"Haha nothing!" He tried to style out his nervousness by taking a swig from his beer.

"Widow?" Everyone looked to her.

"Oh no, that's not a question I need answering." She relaxed back into her seat.

"All deference to the man who wouldn't be king, but it's rigged." Tony suggested.

"You bet your ass!" Clint agreed and a metallic scraping sounded in the background, Inova picked it up and tensed, Carly mimicked her movement tearing her eyes away from the scene to try and work out what it was.

"Steve, he said a bad language word." Maria teases and Steve looked to Tony.

"Did you tell everyone about that?"

"The handles, imprinted right like a security code, who shall ever is carrying Thor's fingerprints is the literal translation." Tony avoided Steve's question and Thor got up.

"Yes, well that's a very very interesting theory I have a simpler one-" He twirled his hammer "you're all not worthy." Everyone groaned until cut off with a high-pitched screech, which hurt like hell. It made Carly and Inova immediately cover their sensitive ears as tight as possible.

**''Wwwwooooorrrrtttthhhhhyyy. No, how could you be worthy?"** A metal iron legion bot which barely looked like it could keep its parts together limped into the living room. **"You're all killers."**

"Stark?" Steve ordered getting up from his seat along with everyone else.

"Jarvis?" The billionaire fiddled with his tablet, but no response came through.

**"I'm sorry,"** The bot carried on. **"I was sleeping, or I was a dream?"** Tony kept attempting to stabilise this problem. **"There was this terrible noise, and I was tangled in strings. Had to kill the other guy. He was a good guy."** What kill someone! Surely Inova would've smelt the blood, Inova catches Carly's puzzled glance and shrugs.

"You killed someone?" Steve was now full captain mode exposing no kindness or weakness as he glared at the intruder.

**"Wouldn't have been my first call, but down in the real world we're faced with ugly choices."** Its voice was something out of nightmares, the kind which lingered with you from childhood.

"Who sent you?" Thor demanded an answer the robot played a recording.

_'I see a suit of armour around the world.'_ It was Tony's voice and confusion surged through everyone.

"Ultron." Bruce pieced together, regarding Tony who appeared shocked.

**"In the flesh, or no not yet, not this chrysalis."** Thor's grip on the hammer tightened as 'Ultron' looked at himself almost as if he were disgusted. 

Maria pulled out her gun.

**"But I'm ready, I'm on a mission."**

"What mission?" Oh, Inova bet fine money that Bruce and Tony already knew.

**"Peace in our time."** Almost as if they were summoned a bunch of robots burst out from behind the glass, all Avengers surged into fighting mode.

"Carly, please stay here." Inova ordered kindly.

The wolf's already on her feet, "We can help them!" Inova pulled her back down.

"Not you. You followed me here now listen to me and stay here!" On the command she obeyed.

Hell broke loose, they were everywhere, Inova caught Rhodey before he hit the ground after being thrown through a window. He saw her right face right before she placed him safely on the ground going back to the spot Carly and she had hidden in no less than a minute ago only to see her gone.

"Shit!" Inova hisses as the last bot fell.

**"That was dramatic!"** Ultron stated tiredly.

**"I'm sorry, I know you mean well. You just didn't think it through. You wanna protect the world but don't want it to change. How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to evolve, look at these, these puppets,"** Inova smelt the familiar scent of a wolf change and knew Carly was about to do something stupid.

**"There's only one path to peace... the avenger’s extinction!"** Thor throws his hammer and crushed the bot before it could do more damage.

**"I had strings but now I'm free."** It croaked before powering down.

"Did anyone see that woman?" Rhodey asked.

"What woman?" Steve replied not remembering any such woman but stops any further questions when a bot lunges for Maria, Inova caught the sight of Carly who'd leapt on the bot and trapped it in her jaw, destroying the thing.

Carly snarled at the team after not used to being around others not of her kind, Inova barrelled into the wolfs side pushing her away from the others.

"That woman." Rhodey deadpanned and everyone had gotten back into fighting positions but Inova, she put her hands out in front of her, Inova kept her stance low so as not to spook the giant wolf.

"Carly, easy girl easy. I told you it wasn't the same out of a pack." Carly growled wearily as something shot Inova right in the arm.

"Really!" Inova twisted round and instantly all mouths dropped open including the soldiers. "I'm trying to help you not die and that's the thanks I get!"

_"It feels weird!"_ The wolf shakes her headrepeatedly trying to get rid of the uneasy pain of the sudden change as Inova nods in understanding. _"It hurts!"_ Now she's whining.

"I know, just calm down. You'll figure it out ok, I promise." Inova rubbed her head reassuringly and it takes a few more seconds for Carly to get used to the sensation but she manages. "Good girl." Inova praises her then takes note of the group of the gob smacked Avengers again.

The vampire clears her throat. "Funny things parties, if you're not careful with the guest list anyone might show up." Her gaze fell into contact with the one man she'd been dying to talk to for ages.

"Nova?" Disbelief haunted his voice, Inova could see the sadness and anger and every other emotion bouncing in his iris's, she felt so terrible knowing that she was the cause for that look.

"Yes, it's me. Now if we could all just lower our weapons so we're not aiming them at the blood thirsty wolf here...I'm sure we could have a right old laugh about all of this." Everyone gave her a 'seriously' face, even Carly.

_"Really, now?"_ Carly put her head in her paws.

Getting the hint Inova’s shoulders hunch only slightly. "Maybe not...quite this minute." No one said anything in the quiet of the room as the vamp bashfully tried to get everyone on board with her appearance. Inova got tired of waiting, "Can somebody please say something." Maria walked up to her and slapped her across the face. 

Hard!

Carly raised, growling at the agent defensively but Inova shrugged it off.

"No, no it's okay." Her cheek barely registered the sting but that didn't stop her from rubbing it. "I deserved it."

"Damn straight!" Tony spoke and Inova was grateful.

"Finally, the English language has been spoken, for a moment I thought I was talking gibberish. Now I know this is probably a lot but if you let me explain-"

"Save it!" Steve cut Inova off, she clamped her mouth shut straight away tensing at the tone in his voice. "We have more important things to talk about," He addresses Tony in his next line. "Like what the hell was that?"

***-***

Everyone had now moved to the lab, seemingly rattled and Steve couldn't blame them. Although he knew he should be focusing on the problem at hand, his thoughts were elsewhere. 

Here she was right here in front of him still beyond beautiful. 

Her hair was longer than ever coming to rest just below her butt, which the jumpsuit she had on just so happened to accentuate. The outfit was distractingly revealing, the sheer material revealing the black bra and short set beneath it. 

Jesus was that even legal.

He'd never seen her in something as revealing as this and it was making it extremely hard to communicate to his heart that he was supposed to be mad at her; his dick apparently hadn't gotten the message either. The Captain shuffles his stance, feeling disgusted with his selfishness when there was a literal threat to mankind going on. 

Inova sat on the other side of the room with her wolf friend who Steve was pretty sure hated him, every time he tried to peek at Inova the wolf moved right into his line of vision, blocking the vampire away.

"All our work is gone, Ultron cleared out. Used the internet as an escape hatch." Bruce informs.

"Ultron." Steve repeated to himself under his breath, putting a name to the creepy robot suddenly made this whole thing a lot realer.

"He's been in everything. Files, surveillance, probably knows more about us then we know about each other." Natasha examined the data on the computer and Steve couldn't help but notice the way Nat stared at Inova as she said it.

"He's in your files, he's in the internet, what if he decides to access something a little more exciting?" Rhodey started only for Maria to finish.

"Nuclear codes."

" _Nuclear codes_ , look we need to make some calls assuming we still can."

"Nuces? He said he wanted us dead."

"He didn't say dead, he said extinct." Inova corrected out of Steve's eyesight as the wolf still sat between them blocking his view.

"He also said he killed somebody." Steve added just as a reminder and he looked away sharply when Inova peeked round Carly to glimpse at him.

Maria shakes her head. "There wasn't anyone else in the building, well apart from Inova and her dog." Her _'Dog'_ growled at Maria as Inova covered its ears that'd bent back.

"Whoa, one thing you never want to do beautiful is call a wolf a dog, doesn't end well for anyone trust me." Her wolf friend managed to settle down when Inova whispered something in her ear. When the vampire’s eyes fell back onto Maria’s form Steve didn’t know how to feel as he watched her eyes narrow in a glare at the agent. She must have been able to tell that the jacket she was wearing belonged to him, she was being possessive, although she had no right to be.

Steve had to focus on what was being said.

"Actually, there was." Tony continued, then put up a live matrix of JARVIS or what was left of him.

"This is insane." Bruce commented as the wolf circled the unknown thing making strange unsure faces at it until Inova whistled.

"Carly, don't mess with things you don't understand. Tony will have a fit if you broke anything." The wolf obeyed and Steve noticed a healed scar along her leg and could only guess what gave it to her, instead of asking he focused on the situation.

"JARVIS was the first line in defence, he would have shut Ultron down it makes sense."

"No, Ultron could have assimilated JARVIS this isn't strategy, this is rage." Thor came in and gripped Tony by the throat, Steve knew things were gonna get hectic from then on.

*-*

Inova zoned out of their discussion since everyone had chosen to ignore her anyway, not an action she really liked, but hey she had basically abandoned them, so she had no room to argue.

_"You love him?"_ Instantly, Inova snapped her head over to Carly who just stared knowingly at her.

"What!" Inova had forgotten to say that part in her head so she got some stares, shaking them off she sheepishly looked down at her lap.

_"Steve, you love him don't you."_ This time it came out as a statement not a question, Inova got so caught up in that possibility that she hesitated.

_"You do, don't you? You're flustered!"_

_"No, I don't and I'm not!"_ Carly's stare was so intense and Inova realised the young one had already made her mind up over the matter.

That's when she zoned back into the guys conversation.

"That's the end game, how were you guys planning on beating that?"

"Together." Steve supplied as if the answer was easy.

"We'll lose."

"Then we'll do that together too, Thor's right. Ultron's calling us out and I'd like to find him before he's ready for us, the world's a big place let's start making it smaller." Steve began to walk away and Inova couldn't hold back anymore.

"Stay here." The vampire whispers to Carly as she slips past the lab to follow Steve, the group disperses to go do whatever is required of them around her and she misses Nat's pointed look at Tony as they both watch her go.

Inova finally stops the following when they’re both as far from the rest of them as they can get and shouts after Steve's retreating back. "That's it, you’re just gonna walk away?" He stopped dead in his tracks in the hall, Inova stood behind him hoping he'd give her an answer.

When he does it's not the one, she expected. "You had no problem doing the same." His venomous retort has the vampire shaking her head.

"That's not fair." She insists.

"It isn't?" Steve turns in order to glare her down properly leaving the question out in the open.

"No, it's not. I was trapped inside my own head Steve you know that. Mina'd taken full control."

"Really? Took control and joined HYDRA." Inova rolled her eyes at the exasperation, defensively crossing her arms out in front of her.

"You read the files Widow leaked to the internet Steve don't pretend to not know what she did!" Her voice raise was copied by the man as he accused her.

"You're right, I did read those files. Over and over and you know what? I find it hard to believe she cared enough about HYDRA's aim to stay with them. Only reasonable explanation I have is it was obviously your sympathy for _him_ that made her stay." Inova gulped knowing what came next.

"Sympathy for who?" His glare increased even further and to have such a look directed at her had Inova's chest twinge, he takes advantage of her subconscious step back to prowl in closer.

"You know who!" Inova was going to deny it again but that anger in him didn't die down he just lashed out again. "You can drop the act, Sam told me what you said at the hospital that day when I was out, he told me what you said!"

Inova was feeling more and more cornered. "What do you want me to do?" She retorted as if what she could do would mean anything now. "Tell you I'm sorry because I tried to protect your friend!" They're stepping in closer to one another on every shout, now they're about a metre away from each other.

"How long did you know?"

"Know what?" That seems to be his breaking point, he grabs her by the forearms and pushes her onto the wall, Inova falters more out of shock at the suggestiveness of the action than the violence of it. Their breathing is ragged, both refusing to be the one who backs down from the intense eye contact.

"How long did you know it was him, did you know it was Bucky?" Her violet eyes clash against blue and breaks all her resolve.

"Almost immediately, months. I knew for months." He shakes his head in disbelief. "Look Steve, I know you're hurt but if you just listen-"

"Hurt, you think I'm hurt?" Inova laughs in his face as if the answer is obvious.

"You're going to tell me you're not?" She chokes out.

He growls, the sound making her heartbeat as he pushes her into the wall further. "Hurt! I'm not hurt I-I'm furious!" Inova wanted to shrink up, to retreat, to run but she stood her ground and threw a back a line in anger.

"Why!?"

"Because-" Steve stopped in mid-sentence, realising it wasn't fair to be so rough with her. He reached his hands down to hers, his blue eyes pierced her soul and her spine sparked at the contact as everything around them seemingly faded away. "because I lost you, because I thought you were gone forever, because no matter how many times I followed the wrong path and hit a dead end. I would always go back and try again," He paused only a couple inches away from her face which felt in this time too far away, he sighed raggedly as his eyes fell to the floor. "because you left me." Her heart shattered. Her throat seized up. "I went nuts fawning over every single thing that would lead me to you, if it weren't for the Avengers giving me a reason to take care of myself." He shakes his head. "I think I would have run myself down." Inova can hear the heartbreak in his voice but she had some too.

"You think I didn't want to run back to you, tell you I was ok. Tell you he was ok? You think I wanted you to feel that way? Well I didn't, everything that I did was for you!" The vampire didn't want to shout but she felt like he was hearing her but not listening. Her voice lowered to nothing above a whisper. "It will always be for you." His eyes were ablaze with new anger.

"Then where is he, why won’t you tell me!" Inova furrowed her eyebrows closing her eyes but didn't speak. 

She couldn't tell him, Mina promised Bucky.

Steve brought her hands to his chest. They were close enough now that she could feel his heartbeat behind his ribcage. "I don't understand." He begs wanting an answer desperately but Inova just couldn't. "Please, just help me understand." It's his last plead and it's met with silence.

"I-I can't." Inova opened her eyes again only to be met with the worst thing ever, a disappointed Steve, he licked his lips slowly, let her hands go, glanced at her eyes one last time then left.

Inova couldn't move, wouldn't breathe.

She'd broken his heart, Inova could tell and she’d just stood there watching him leave. 

_'No, no do something, anything. Take it back, tell him you lo...'_

Inova twisted round on the urge of tears refusing to let one drop until she was truly alone.

Inova walked back through the space where unsurprisingly Widow, Carly, Banner, Maria and Tony remained probably having heard everything. Inova ignored them effectively and made for the stairs to the floor below, Carly tried to follow but the vamp gave her an unconvincing even to her ears 'I'm fine' and patted her on her nose, a sign to tell her to stay there. 

Inova fled to the roof.

Feeling pent up frustration and the shameful pang of arousal Inova howled, she howled until her lungs burned and her throat was hoarse from the strain of it. She howled with the weight of every sin on her shoulders until she could take no more and shrunk in on herself.

Nothing would be the same.


End file.
